Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie Talk Their Deadly But Charming Face-Off

YAHOO TV
Benji Wilson
Writer
April 15, 2016

Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie in ‘The Night Manager’

“I don’t know that I’d make a very good spy,” says Tom Hiddleston. This, from a man widely spoken of as the next James Bond. We’re discussing his latest role in the AMC miniseries The Night Manager, based on John le Carré’s 1993 novel, premiering April 19. Hiddleston plays Jonathan Pine, an unassuming hotel supervisor who turns out to be a very, very good spy. So much so that he’s recruited by British Intelligence to bring down international arms dealer and billionaire Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie).

Hiddleston gives the spy question a little more thought — he gives everything a lot of thought — and then he laughs. “Let’s be honest, I’d make a hopeless spy because people know who I am. It would be very obvious.”

That much is indisputable: these days Tom Hiddleston couldn’t exactly sidle in to a room and order a smoothie. Thanks to roles as Hank Williams in I Saw the Light, the lead in the excellent High-Rise, and most of all as Loki in the ongoing, seemingly neverending Avengers franchise, Hiddleston is already that guy on the poster. But it’s Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager — well-turned-out, well-spoken, intelligent but reserved — whom he feels is closest to himself. Even if he could never be a spy.

“Pine felt strangely new for me as an actor because it felt quite close to home — I haven’t played close to home. I’ve played at the extremes of my range — Loki and Hank Williams are quite far away from me,” he says. “With Pine, there was a lot in him that I could relate to. It was something about his moral conviction. His private soul. He’s very hard — he keeps his cards close to his chest, and I think that’s very true of me.”

Ying to Pine’s yang is Richard Roper, and in an inspired piece of casting, The Night Manager pairs off Hiddleston with fellow debonair Brit Hugh Laurie. If Dr. Gregory House behaved badly but was essentially good, “Dickie Roper” is the other way ‘round. He starts out a wellspring of urbane charm, but a few episodes in, as we start to see what those weapons he’s selling to the highest bidder can do, we understand why le Carré in the original novel labeled Roper “The Worst Man in the World.”

READ MORE HERE: https://www.yahoo.com/tv/the-night-manager-tom-hiddleston-and-hugh-153804157.html

Hugh Laurie:Playing House was a nightmare says Hugh Laurie (who made £250,000 an episode) (DAILY MAIL)

He had one of the best jobs in Hollywood, picking up an estimated £250,000 an episode and a clutch of coveted TV awards along the way.

But it seems that Hugh Laurie was every bit as hard to please as his fictional alter-ego, the grumpy Dr Gregory House.

The British actor today sets out the full depth of the despair he felt while filming his hit TV series House.

Laurie, 53, says he found his filming commitments so bleak that he hoped to have an accident on the way to the studio just to earn a few days rest.

His starring role as Dr House made him one of the highest-paid TV actors of all time.

The U.S. drama, which finally ended last year after eight series, also won him two Golden Globe awards and six Emmy nominations.

But in an interview he says: ‘[It was] a gilded cage. At this distance it all sounds absurd.

Ridiculous. After all, what was I doing other than playing about, telling stories with a very nice bunchof people? What could be constricting about that?


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2316883/Playing-House-nightmare-says-Hugh-Laurie-250-000-episode.html#ixzz2Rww9whDN 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Hugh Laurie in talks to play villain in ‘RoboCop’ remake In reboot of 1987 hit, the 'House' actor would co-star with Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman and Samuel L. Jackson BY ETHAN SACKS / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

For those who thought Hugh Laurie was mean as the title doctor on "House, M.D.," wait until the "RoboCop" reboot hits theaters next year.

The 53-year-old British actor — best known on this side of the pond for playing Dr. Gregory House for eight seasons — is in negotiations to join a cast that already includes "The Killing's" Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman and Samuel L. Jackson, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Laurie would play the movie's villain, the wealthy CEO of Omnicorp, the company behind the construction of RoboCop — and the robot that would replace him.



Read more:http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/hugh-laurie-talks-play-villain-robocop-remake-article-1.1094845

"House" bows out with a funeral and plenty of twists By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES | Tue May 22, 2012 12:06am EDT (REUTERS)

Cast member Hugh Laurie (R) poses with co-star Odette Annable at the series finale wrap party of the television series ''House M.D.'' in Los Angeles, California April 20, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni


(Reuters) - Medical drama "House" bowed out on Monday after eight years on television with a funeral, a friendship and multiple devious plot twists.

As the curtain fell on one of the most popular TV series in the world, the misanthropic but brilliant diagnostician Dr. Gregory House, played by Hugh Laurie, solved the most perplexing puzzle of them all - himself.

The series finale, called "Everybody Dies", began with a suicidal House trapped in a burning building, confronting his own demons and hallucinating.

Returning characters, including the dead Lawrence Kutner (Kal Penn) and "frenemy" Amber Volakis (Anne Dudek), ex- girlfriend Stacy Warner (Sela Ward) and Allison Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) appeared as figments of House's imagination in an episode packed with flashbacks.

Only Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), who played House's on- and-off love interest, failed to make an appearance after leaving the TV drama a year ago.

The show's final weeks had left audiences wondering if the series would end with the death from cancer of House's only friend, oncologist Dr. James Wilson, or that of House himself - or both.

But in the bittersweet ending promised by creator David Shore, both men survived - at least for a while - with their long bromance stronger than ever.

As House finally opted for life and staggered to leave the fiery building, it exploded in flames. But as his colleagues gathered to praise and scold him in an emotional funeral, House had one last trick left up his sleeve.


READ MORE:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/22/entertainment-us-house-idUSBRE84L04L20120522

House' series finale: A look back at the best episodes By Andrea Reiher May 20, 2012 4:12 PM ET (ZAP 2 IT)

"House," the medical drama that has also been a character study of a misanthropic genius doctor played wonderfully by Hugh Laurie, is coming to a close Monday, May 21 after eight seasons. Zap2it would like to take a look back at the strongest episodes of the series.

It was hard to narrow down, indeed. The show has always been fairly strong, with individual episodes that we'd put right up there with the best of any show. But here are the ones that made the cut.

"Three Stories," S1, E21

The first season of "House" was fine - but the show really took off with "Three Stories." House gives a lecture to a class of medical students, recounting three different leg injuries. Carmen Electra gives a rather delightful guest-starring turn and the viewers finally find out why Dr. House has his limp.

"No Reason" - S2, E24

In the first of many solid season finales, House is shot in his office, which cause House to have to not only trust his team to solve the Case of the Week, but try to figure out what is reality and what is fiction. It doesn't sound nearly as good here as it was on TV, but trust us - it's a good one.

"Son of Coma Guy" - S3, E7

House brings coma guy (an awesome guest casting of John Larroquette) out of his vegetative state in order to find out about the family history so he can treat coma guy's son. Not one of "House's" milestone episodes, but a quietly good offering and a fun buddy adventure for Laurie and Laroquette.

The beginning of Season 4

It's hard to pick just one episode, but after House fires his team at the end of Season 3, Season 4 begins with a multi-episode arc that sees House picking a new team via a "Survivor"-like competition. There are very few shows that could essentially get rid of three of the main characters (even if for just some time) and be completely reinvigorated.

"Frozen" - S4, E11

For the juicy post-Super Bowl slot, "House" brought in Mira Sorvino as a psychiatrist trapped at the South Pole who becomes ill. House must walk her through treating herself via webcam, as she and Dr. House have a bit of a long-distance spark.



READ MORE:  http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/05/house-series-finale-a-look-back-at-the-best-episodes.html

Hugh Laurie: 'Lot of sobbing' as 'House' wraps By Ann Oldenburg, USA TODAY Updated 11h 59m ago (LIFELINELIVE)

Hugh Laurie hangs up his House cane for good with Monday's final episode (Fox, 9 p.m.), ending an eight-year run.

"There was a lot of sobbing," he told Jay Leno last night. "The last couple of weeks have been very trying," he admitted. "It felt like we were having little mini-memorial services each day" as cast members filmed their final scenes.




READ MORE:  http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2012/05/hugh-laurie-lot-of-sobbing-as-house-wraps/1#.T7cERkVSTiY

'House' Finale: Hugh Laurie Says Goodbye To Fox Drama By FRAZIER MOORE 05/17/12 08:57 AM ET (HUFFPOST)

NEW YORK — It will be painful saying goodbye to "House."

The Fox medical drama concludes its eight-season run Monday with a series finale at 9 p.m. EDT, preceded by a one-hour retrospective. And with that, Hugh Laurie will be done as the show's abrasive champion, Dr. Gregory House – unless, Laurie adds with a laugh, "someone comes up with an idea for a stage musical."

"I feel a huge satisfaction that we got to the end with our dignity intact," he declares. "I never felt that we did anything that wasn't true to the character or the show – like, `House gets a puppy.' I think that's quite an achievement."

No doubt. Sure, the medical mysteries that formed the core of most episodes inevitably grew a bit formulaic as the seasons piled up. (Didn't each week's patient always seem to start bleeding from a different orifice, bafflingly and life-threateningly, right on cue before each commercial break?)

But if the rhythm of the investigation began to feel over-familiar, House never did. On the contrary: He is only more complex, obstreperous and fascinating.

Not that he didn't start with a bang right from the series' inception in November 2004: Here was a brilliant diagnostician with a snide manner, a limp and a cane, a stash of painkillers and a perpetual stubble. He flouted regulations, ducked cases that bored him and kept things stirred up as a not-so-merry prankster.

He was conceived as a contemporary Sherlock Holmes. Like that fictional 19th-century sleuth, House is indifferent to those he is helping, focused instead – with cool deduction and uncanny intuition – on the challenging nature of the mysteries that plague them.

Both men play musical instruments, take drugs (House is hooked on Vicodin, while Holmes has a thing for cocaine), and both have trusty sidekicks: Holmes' Dr. John Watson and House's Dr. James Wilson, his best and probably only friend, played with quirky forbearance by Robert Sean Leonard.

But the Holmes connection has never been the most interesting thing about "House."

READ MORE:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/17/house-finale-hugh-laurie_n_1523834.html

Hugh Laurie: Exclusive House Video: Hugh Laurie Previews Thirteen's Big 'Intervention' BY VLADA GELMAN (TV LINE)

READ MORE:  http://tvline.com/2012/05/10/house-season-8-episode-21-thirteen-returns-video/

'House' season finale spoiler alert; 'Fringe' renewed for fifth and final season Jessica Banov (FAY OBSERVER)

With "House" hurtling toward a series finale on May 21, fans have speculated about how it will all go down. Will Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) become a softie as the sun sets on the show? (Doubtful). Some wondered whether his lingering health and addiction issues would harm him in the end. Alas, it seems like a revelation from last week's episode will define the last four episodes.

Here is your requisite **SPOILER ALERT** for those of you who don't want to know.

Ready? OK. House's best friend, Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard), who happens to be an oncologist, dropped a major bombshell in the last few seconds of last week's episode.


READ MORE:  http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2012/04/30/1172817?sac=fo.life

Hugh Laurie: The doctor is out: After eight seasons, Hugh Laurie and cast say farewell to 'House' at series finale wrap party By CASSIE CARPENTER (MAIL ON LINE)

It has been one of the biggest U.S. television hits of the past few years and made a Stateside star out of British actor Hugh Laurie. But was time for the cast of House to bid farewell to the hit medical whodunnit show last night as they stepped out onto the red carpet for the series wrap party. There were no tears for star Hugh, but he admitted it had been emotional saying goodbye to the series after nearly eight years.

'Generally speaking, I'm pretty hopeless at goodbyes,' Laurie told Zap2it, 'and I'm mostly not very good at hellos, either. 'I think I'm all right with the in-between stuff, but this is a very long, protracted goodbye to a character and to about 300 people I've worked with for eight years. This has been very emotional, and it continues to be.'

As the nasty, cane-wielding Dr. Gregory House on the TV drama, Hugh found American fame, was nominated for an Emmy award six times, twice won a Golden Globe, and became the highest paid actor on television. The 2012 Guinness Book of World Records lists his salary at a whopping $700,000 an episode.

READ MORE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2133252/Hugh-Laurie-cast-say-farewell-House-series-finale-wrap-party.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Hugh Laurie: Euthanasia declared for the TV series House (THE NATIONAL)

Greg Kennedy

For seven years now, he's the most miserable man we've ever let into our living rooms — yet the limping grouch known as Dr Gregory House continues to wow us with his unconventional thinking and flawless instincts as he solves medical puzzles to save lives.

Like the painkillers he pops into his mouth like candy to temper his leg pain, however, even a brilliant TV-drama diagnostician has a shelf life - and to the consternation of many, including its actors, House is headed for expiry as this Emmy, Golden Globe and Peabody Award-winning show enters its eighth and final season.

"After much deliberation, the producers of House M.D. have decided that this season of the show, the eighth, should be the last," says star Hugh Laurie. "By April this year they will have completed 177 episodes, which is about 175 more than anyone expected back in 2004." While a junkie-MD who mentally abuses his colleagues, makes life hell for his superiors, defrauds the government, rams his car into his old flame's house and who regularly hangs out in rehab and jail might not win our business in real life as a genius bad boy who gets results, he's risen to emperor of the TV universe.

House recently was designated as the world's most popular current television programme, watched by a whopping 81.8 million people in 66 countries, according to the 2012 edition of Guinness World Records. So why is a world-beater like House getting euthanised? Well, it wasn't a salary dispute and it wasn't ratings. Laurie, who makes US$700,000 (Dh2.6 million) an episode, was reportedly ready to take a pay cut to return for a ninth season.


READ MORE:  http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/television/euthanasia-declared-for-the-tv-series-house