- English theatre and movie actor
- Known for playing Loki in the Marvel Studios film "Thor"
- Won 2013 MTV movie award for Best Villain for role in "The Avengers"
Rumours are flowing through the internet about actor Tom Hiddleston as many believe that he might soon be chosen as the next villain in the movie "Batman v. Superman". The actor has earned much critical acclaim and love from fans for his amazing performance as Loki in the Avengers movies in which he has arguably stolen most of the scenes he has been involved in and left some of the most memorable impressions on movie viewers.
While the rumours have not been substantiated entertainment insiders have noted that eventually in the Dark Knight series there will be a need for the Joker to make his presence felt in the movie and while Heath Ledger was incredible as the Joker in the movie there is no one that doubts the ability of the 2013 winner of the MTV movie award for the Best Villain to be spectacular in this role.
One of the things that makes the rumour about Tom Hiddleston potentially playing the role of Joker so juicy and appealing is that despite the movie role having been played by Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson there is complete confidence within entertainment insiders that he will be able to provide a different outlook of the character.
The Rolling Stones -- Ron Wood, left, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards -- perform at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Friday night. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times / May 3, 2013)
The Stones -- Jagger, Richards, Watts, Wood and a six-piece support group -- are celebrating 50 years as a band, and did so at a capacity arena with a typical combination of power, nuance and versatility.
That the group only stumbled a few times, most notably when No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani attempted to duet with Jagger on “Wild Horses,” is a testament to both the enduring power of their creations and their continued ability to deliver renegade spirit. After all, these rich men could be relaxing in mansions, going on drunken benders or -- as Richards once memorably did -- falling out of coconut trees.
They are the last band standing, let alone prancing, shaking, shimmying or prowling.
Their cockroach-like survival stands to reason. This is durable music, after all, built on solid foundations that have supported and moved entire cultures. Songs such as “Tumbling Dice,” “Miss You,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” -- all of which they played on Friday -- have fired the neurons of billions of brains.
Or, as Richards eloquently explained in his 2010 autobiography, “Life,” the band offered repeated proof of achieving the ultimate goal of a musician: “to stretch yourself into other people’s hearts.” Richards wrote of the craft as being “almost an obsession,” adding that “to write a song that is remembered and taken to heart is a connection, a touching of bases. A thread that runs through all of us. A stab to the heart.”
The Stones stabbed hearts over and over on Friday. Among the more celebrated victims at the gig were Jack Nicholson, Eddie Murphy, Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban, James Caan, Babyface, Melanie Griffith and longtime Stones producer Don Was. During “Brown Sugar,” Nicholson pumped his arms like a teenager along with the other 19,000 fans.
In the history of the Academy Awards, since 1927, no single actor has managed to win three Academy Awards for Best Actor. Nine have won twice, while Jack Nicholson has won twice for Best Actor and once for Best Supporting Actor. Character actor Walter Brennan won three times as Best Supporting Actor before 1950 and at least one actor should have won three Best Actor awards in a span of six years in the sixties, but did not. Incredibly Katherine Hepburn won four times as Best Actress, the first in the thirties, back to back awards in the sixties and the final one in 1981 putting her far ahead of both the men and women.
Thirteen women have won twice for Best Actress, with Ingrid Bergman and Meryl Streep each winning another for Best Supporting Actress, and many of the ladies, could have won more than they did. Is it not bizarre that Streep just became a two time Best Actress winner only a year ago??
Daniel Day-Lewis will likely become the first actor to be a triple Best Actor winner for his magnificent performance in Lincoln (2012), the years best film. Day-Lewis first won for his stunning work in My Left Foot (1989) and just five years ago for There Will Be Blood (2007) arguably the greatest male performance ever put on film. His win for Lincoln (2012) will place him where no other actor has ever been, but in hindsight, several could have been perhaps should have been three time winners (or more) before now.
Fredric March, Spencer Tracey, and Gary Cooper were all deserving two time Oscar winners, with not one of them having a chance at a third. However, the other six all should be three time winners.
Shirley MacLaine's career peak award Thursday night featured a preview of "Downton Abbey," which the actress joins in season three.
MacLaine received the 40th Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. She accepted the prize from Meryl Streep, a previous winner.
But TV fans may be most interested in a preview of "Downton Abbey" supplied by Elizabeth McGovern, who plays MacLaine's daughter.
"As soon as Shirley MacLaine made her entrance in the show as my mom, everything became clear to me," McGovern told the audience. "Come back to 'Downton Abbey,' Shirley! I miss my mom."
Oscar-winner MacLaine said she enjoyed working with Oscar-winner Maggie Smith. "I saw Maggie Smith and I lifted her off her feet, because she's lighter than me," MacLaine said. "It was fabulous."
The third season of "Downton Abbey" will premiere in January on PBS.
After completing work on this weekend’s Hollywood Issue, we asked the staff for their favorite movie villains. Here are ours. Who is yours?
Charles Boyer as the insinuating Gregory Anton in “Gaslight” who convinces his wife, played by Ingrid Bergman, that she is going crazy. “Only I’ve been noticing you are forgetful lately … losing things. Oh, please dear, don’t look so concerned. It’s probably nothing.”
It’s very hard to choose, so I will use the strict criterion of which one I quote most often in day-to-day life, which is Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber in “Die Hard”: “You ask for miracles, Theo. I give you the F.B.I.”
Two who come to mind quickly are the Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz” and Mrs. Danvers from “Rebecca.” One so over the top and the other so subtly evil.
David Bowie as the Goblin King in “Labyrinth.” Because the greatness of a villain is directly proportional to the tightness of his pants.
A tie: Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (Lee Emery), “Full Metal Jacket” — because he’s funny in a way no family newspaper can handle. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), “Die Hard” — “‘And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.’ Benefits of a classical education.”
Keyser Söze from “The Usual Suspects.” “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”
Harry Lime, from “The Third Man.” Dastardly enough to sell fake penicillin to sick children, but self-effacing enough to be dead for the first, what, 4/5 of the movie.
The Evil Queen from Snow White, the creepiest woman ever to appear on screen!
Jack Nicholson as the Joker.
Count Tyrone Rugen, from “The Princess Bride,” for inspiring Inigo Montoya’s famous vendetta line, “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die.”
The most villainous of them all – Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Beyond terrifying.
Gary Oldman as the corrupt cop in “The Professional.” Over the top pyscho performance, “Oh those poppers, Gary!” Close second, Dennis Hopper in “Blue Velvet.”
Heather Chandler in “Heathers” for being Heather and inspiring so many more.
The Nazi bad guy from “Indiana Jones” who gets the burn on his hand in the first scene and gets his face melted in the last scene, right after he sneaks a peek at the ark and says, “it’s bootiful.”
udith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca” — for her crazy, over-the-top facial expressions, and her awesome hairdo.
Mr. Darcy before he becomes cuddly.
Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Because of the look in his eyes and the calm tone of his voice.
Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers, the evil housekeeper in “Rebecca,” 1940.
Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) from “No Country for Old Men.” Because he reminded me a lot of my dad.
I’ll be a nerd and say Darth Vader.
Faye Dunaway’s portrayal of the Lady de Winter in the 1973 version of “The Three Musketeers” and its “Four Musketeers” sequel. A stone-cold ice queen who would stop at nothing to slake her thirst for power and riches, Milady has components of almost all the types of villains we included in our photo portfolio: she was equal parts vamp, madman, home wrecker, fire starter, sociopath, siren, hothead and tyrant.
Ed Harris as Viggo Mortensen’s tormentor in David Cronenberg’s “A History of Violence” (2005). It’s the mangled eye and the complete absence of anything remotely resembling a conscience.
The Terrible Trivium from “The Phantom Tollbooth” — the trippy movie version, which I watched repeatedly as a child. It’s faceless, much like Ryan Gosling, and keeps pushing up its sleeves to reveal emptiness where its wrists should be. Terrifying.
Glenn Close in “Fatal Attraction.” Every good villain starts out with a vaguely menacing charm, and I love watching Close make that transformation from beguiling to bunny-boiling batty.
“Jaws.” There’s no negotiating with sharks. Especially that one. The fin, the music, the underwater camera angles. I still can’t swim in the ocean without at least a touch of shark anxiety.
Wicked Witch of the West — the immense relief (along with the horror) at her melting tells it all.
Kevin Spacey as Verbal Kint in “The Usual Suspects.” He so thoroughly embodied the role of the small-time con man with cerebral palsy it was shocking to see his transformation at the end of the film.
Anton Chigurh from “No Country for Old Men.” The hair. The weapon of choice. The psychotic determination.
