Tom Hiddleston Breaks Down His Dance Moves in ‘The Life of Chuck’ and If He’d Ever Do a Musical

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Following years of acclaim for his dramatic performances and portraying the character Loki in Marvel films, Tim Hiddleston will be stepping into a fresh role as a dancer in an upcoming film titled “The Life of Chuck“.

The movie that garnered the audience prize at TIFF the previous year is based on a Stephen King novella and narrates three significant phases in the life of an ordinary individual named Charles Krantz (portrayed by Hiddleston). Notably, Charles’ demise mirrors the apocalypse. Throughout the story, there are also several dance scenes showcasing the actor’s skills.

Tom Hiddleston admitted at the Los Angeles premiere of the film on Monday that he had never danced quite as he did in this project before. He also confessed to The Hollywood Reporter that there were steps to learn, miles to go before he felt confident and proficient enough to emulate some of Chuck’s dance techniques and styles. Hiddleston expressed a deep fondness for movie musicals, and during the creation of this film, he often found himself thinking about classics like ‘Swing Time’, ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, and ‘Cover Girl’.

He went on to say, “I’ve had a fondness for dance in films that goes beyond just what you see on screen. For instance, consider Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in ‘Dirty Dancing’, Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz in ‘The Mask’, Joseph Gordon-Levitt in ‘500 Days of Summer’, or the cast of ‘Little Miss Sunshine’. Dance is essentially woven into the very fabric of cinema.” As for the possibility of him appearing in a musical himself, Hiddleston playfully quipped, “No one’s come knocking yet, but I’m always ready if the opportunity arises.

Co-actress Karen Gillan playfully hinted that she had witnessed Tom Hiddleston dance prior to their film collaboration, but his performance in the movie took things to a new dimension. I was utterly amazed by his talent displayed in this production. His dancing played a role in him landing the part, as director Mike Flanagan disclosed he spotted Hiddleston dancing on a late-night program. It wasn’t his dancing that convinced him, it was the sheer joy on his face. It didn’t matter if he was executing the steps perfectly; what mattered was the exuberance and happiness he radiated. Flanagan thought, “That is exactly the spirit our movie needs,” and Hiddleston fits the role flawlessly.

The moving, emotionally charged movie presents a significant shift from King’s typical work, and similarly, Flanagan, primarily recognized for horror films, has ventured into new territory. However, the filmmaker expressed, “Steve, fundamentally, he’s an optimistic humanist. Even in his darker narratives, there is always a touch of this optimism present.

To me, this project seems more like typical Stephen King’s style than a deviation. Mike Flanagan stated that it was a unique experience collaborating on this. He feels incredibly thankful for the trust placed in him, and if it brings even a fraction of the joy his short story brought to me upon reading, then we’ve achieved something remarkable.

Flanagan expressed thoughts on launching the movie during our present situation, having first read the novel during the pandemic lockdown. “It brought me an incredible amount of hope and solace back then; I think I might need it even more now, and sadly, I believe we all will,” he said. “I hope, despite how bleak things seem, people can find some of the warmth, optimism, and reassurance that this story offers.

The Life of Chuck hits theaters on Friday.

Tiffany Taylor contributed to this report.

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2025-06-03 23:26