It's well known that British actors Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch are good friends, but I'm sure they must be tired of being so inextricably linked that films are starting to think of them as interchangeable. On Tuesday, author Neil Gaiman announced that he would like Tom Hiddleston for The Sandman movie adaptation, but only because he couldn't get Benedict Cumberbatch.
"I think the first time I saw Benedict was as Sherlock Holmes, I thought, 'wow, that's incredibly Morpheus,'" Gaiman said of The Sandman's main character. "And fans probably thought the same because they immediately started doing fan-art, meshing the two of them up."
But after signing on for Marvel's Doctor Strange , Cumberbatch likely doesn't have time for The Sandman. So Gaiman has to rethink his main actor and he's leaning towards Hiddleston. "Tom Hiddleston is still out there! And the truth is, as far as I'm concerned, anybody who sounds English with great cheekbones can probably pull it off."
This wouldn't be the first time Hiddles would be offered a role after his friend couldn't do it. He landed his part in Crimson Peak only after Benedict Cumberbatch dropped out. If I were Hiddleston, I would be really annoyed to continuously play second fiddle to Cumberbatch. But Hiddles is one of the nicest men alive, so I'm sure he's not annoyed at all but is just happy that his friend is successful.
But since he won't say it, I will. Hiddleston's so much more than just a Brit with good cheekbones who can stand in for Cumberbatch. He's an amazing actor in his own right and should be everyone's first choice for the following reasons.
He Commits to His Roles
He'll dye his hair whatever color is needed, bulk up or slim down, and learn any accent. He is dedicated to the films he chooses to the point where he's made himself unrecognizable for many of them. But that's all in a day's work for Hiddleston, and it's why he's a great actor.
His Acting is Award Winning
Hiddleston just took home the Evening Standard Theater Awards trophy for Best Actor and that's nothing to scoff at considering his competition included some of Britain's finest stage actors. When you choose Hiddleston, you're guaranteed a first rate performance.
He Can Play Dark or Light Characters
Need Hiddles for a role in which he has to be haughty and cruel (like, say, Sandman)? He can do that as evidenced by his work as Loki. But he can tap into his own personality to play more bubbly characters as well. He can do it all, folks.
His Range of Emotion is Unparalleled
Not only can he cry on cue, but it's convincing. There's a big difference between just shedding tears and making the audience actually believe you're upset. But then Hiddles can go from weeping to intense anger in three seconds flat. That kind of emotional performance helps separate him from people who might not be as convincing when it comes to more impassioned scene work.
He's Excellent at Promotional Press
Between his nearly two million followers on Twitter and his willingness to go all over the globe promoting his films, Hiddleston is really good at doing press which is honestly very important. If he can bring his fan base in to a film, it's pretty much guaranteed to be a success.
So yeah, Hiddleston may be British and he may be friends with Benedict Cumberbatch, but he should be treated as more than a Cumberbatch stand in. He's an amazing actor in his own right and deserves all the individual recognition that should come with that.
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