Tom Hiddleston Almost Played a Different Marvel Hero Before Loki

Tom Hiddleston is now almost inseparable from the character Loki, but his path to becoming the God of Mischief was not straightforward.

Before the red carpet premieres and fan adoration, he was just another actor trying to land a role in the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Back then, the MCU was still finding its footing. Audiences had seen Iron Man, but the idea of a connected superhero world was new. Every casting choice felt like a risk. Even future stars like Hiddleston faced normal auditions and plenty of uncertainty.

Here’s the twist: Hiddleston didn’t first audition for Loki. He went after Thor. “I never auditioned for Loki, I only auditioned for Thor, which is nuts,” he told sources. He even did a look test with blond hair and Mjolnir in hand.

The audition became a small piece of Marvel history. Hiddleston described the experience, saying, “I auditioned and I swung the hammer but they were always looking for Loki as well.” Eventually, the casting team nudged him in a new direction. “I think the closer I got, they were like, ‘You should play the bad guy.’”

Years later, Hiddleston watched the tape on The Tonight Show and laughed at himself. Competing with Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of Thor would have been tough, he admitted. “I think we can all agree that they cast the right actor,” he joked, showing his charm and self-awareness—the same traits that made him perfect for Loki.

Marvel wanted fresh faces for its new heroes, which worked in Hiddleston’s favor. Loki needed to be magnetic, witty, and dangerous all at once. He had to command attention, even when scheming or standing slightly to the side of the spotlight.

The results speak for themselves. From Thor to The Avengers and now Loki on Disney Plus, Hiddleston turned the character from a scene-stealing villain into a layered lead capable of carrying his own story.

That initial Thor audition ended up being a detour that proved he belonged in the MCU, and that sometimes the right role is the one you weren’t expecting.

Looking back, it’s fun to imagine Hiddleston as Thor. But the reality is that Loki became the reason the MCU could explore new ideas and grow. As Hiddleston’s journey shows, the best roles sometimes find you when you least expect them.

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