However you first met him - as Whitnail, as a slew of character roles, or through his charming social media posts on the Best Supporting Actor awards trail for Can You Ever Forgive Me? - it's likely your new immediate image of Richard E. Grant is in a skin-tight leotard cackling against a green-hued Asgard. The British actor entered the MCU in Loki as an older, Silver Age comics-inspired version of the God of Mischief complete with matured illusion powers. Although his character seemingly died in the final battle at the cap of episode 5, Classic Loki left quite an impact.
Screen Rant sat down with Grant to discuss his interpretation of the role, his biggest complaint about the costume, and some of his other recent genre performances.
I really enjoyed your interpretation of Classic Loki, and I'm very glad that it was you playing it because you've talked in the past about the nature of pretense and self-image, and about how that really interests you. I think that lies right at the core of Loki and your version. Could you talk about how you were drawn to this role and what you put of yourself into it?
I talked, on and off down the years, with Tom Hiddleston that we would work together because we have similar hairlines. And we're not - I mean, he is obviously all ripped now, but he's still not Arnold Schwarzenegger size and I will never be. So, we talked about playing father and son in something. When this opportunity came about, it seemed like the perfect way to finally do that. In preparation, I think that more than anything, what I was struck by was this line that Loki says: not only is he the God of Mischief, but he's the God of Outcasts. The loneliness of somebody who constantly gets reborn or survives, that struck a real chord with me. I thought that as much as everybody - or certainly I do - fantasizes about living eternally, the reality is that it would inherently be a lonely experience. So, that was the key for me to that.
You've got a similar look to Tom, but what definitely looks different is the costume. It's the classic 60s-era comics version.
But it's without the muscles! Why don't I have muscles?
I'm not the person to complain to about that! I think you looked perfect, and I'm curious about how that changed over time. Was that always how your character was meant to look?
Yeah, they sent me a sketch - with muscles, I might add. Maybe they assumed that I had some, and of course, I turned up like a stick insect. And I did say to the costume designer, "Your drawing of what I look like has got muscles and looks fantastic. That's what I would love to look like." So, I assumed from a drawing that she sent to me in advance that that's what I would have. I'd step into a Batman-like muscle suit, like the Jack Kirby drawings. But that was not to be, and I thought, "Oh, well. Old withered Loki is more likely what I've ended up with. Not much for Asgard to fight off."
Going back to what you said about living forever and facing that fight, your Loki dies laughing, which I think is such an interesting choice. Could you talk a little bit about that moment and what it means to you?
Oh, yeah. Actor for hire. That is what was scripted. I think my personal nature is the glass three-quarters full in life; I'm an optimist by nature. So, playing somebody that literally is laughing in the face of his own death is something that I hope I will be able to do when my time comes.
This is obviously not the first time we've seen you in a big sci-fi franchise recently. Doctor Who, Star Wars, and now Marvel. It's great seeing you apply your great talents to these genre stories and sharing in these really exciting ideas. What appeals to you about playing in big genre projects?
I'm frankly amazed that I get asked. Like anything, if you're asked and it seems like a worthwhile project? Actor for hire. It's an amazing thing. When you mentioned Star Wars, because I'd seen that as a drama student when I was 20 in 1977. But if you told me that decades later, in my early 60s, I would get to play in the final one of those? Or having seen Loki in all his various movies and then a TV series spin-off of it, I had no idea that I might end up having a part in any of it. All of it is a genuine surprise to me and a bonus.
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