Tom Hiddleston could have become internationally recognized almost a decade before Thor if he had nailed his Pirates of the Caribbean audition. Hiddleston entered the film industry alongside his real-life sister in the 2007 film Unrelated. However, the 41-year-old actor became a household name for his portrayal of Loki, starting with the 2011 film Thor.
Before starring as Loki, the god of mischief, Hiddleston auditioned to play Will Turner in the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. In the swashbuckling series, Will was a blacksmith hopelessly in love with Keira Knightley's character, Elizabeth Swann. After Hiddleston's disastrous audition, the part went to The Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom, who eventually left the franchise.
How Hiddleston Crashed and Burned His Pirates of the Caribbean Audition
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In the Shakespearean documentary titled Muse of Fire, Hiddleston revealed the play-by-play of the night before his Pirates of the Caribbean audition. One of the actor's friends had just finished his college exams, which resulted in Hiddleston celebrating the achievement with plenty of alcohol. With a hangover and no knowledge of the script, Hiddleston showed up to the audition unprepared.
"[The casting director] was like, 'Uh-huh. Well, thanks for coming in,'" he said. The casting director then asked why Hiddleston hadn't studied the script, considering how big of a production The Curse of the Black Pearl would be. The Loki star gave the excuse that he just received the script last night. Clearly, the casting team didn't call Hiddleston back, but that failure didn't prevent him from pursuing a career in the film industry. "You've got to learn one way or the other. But Orlando Bloom is Orlando Bloom. Who is to say I would have gotten it anyway?" the actor said.
Where Hiddleston Has Gone Since His Pirates of the Caribbean Audition
While Hiddleston didn't get a jump-start on his acting career with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the actor struck Marvel Cinematic Universe gold for playing Loki in Thor. Hiddleston reprised his role in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok. However, the actor was absent from Thor: Love and Thunder. Additionally, the god of mischief received his own Disney+ series in 2021.
After a successful first season, Hiddleston discussed the series' upcoming second season at D23 Expo 2022. "Season 2 is kind of a challenge of a question asked of the [Time Variance Authority] itself," the actor said. In addition to Hiddleston, The Goonies actor Ke Huy Quan joins the cast of Loki Season 2 in an undisclosed role. Other cast members include Gugu Mbatha Raw, Tara Strong and Owen Wilson.
Loki Season 2 releases on Disney+ in mid-2023.