Tom Hiddleston Talks Playing Hank Williams in Upcoming Biopic
Actor Tom Hiddleston, most recently of blockbuster comic book movies such as Thor and The Avengers, was announced on June 12th as the leading role in an upcoming biopic about the life of Hank Williams called I Saw The Light. The English native who studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a hot commodity in movies at the moment, and is reportedly already working on reprising Hank Williams, including rehearsing songs he will sing in the movie, while still finishing up his current project.
On June 18th, TMZ posted an abbreviated story about how Hank’s grandson, Hank Williams III, or Hank3, was angry about the choice of an Englishman to play the role, and that a Southerner like Matthew McConaughey would be a better fit. Later Hank3 clarified his statements after the TMZ piece spurned accusations of racism and whether Hank3 had the right to criticize the casting. Hank3 had reached out to TMZ, but they refused to post any further information.
Tom Hiddleston recently spoke to The Daily Mail about the film, reassuring concerned country music fans about the reverence with which he will approach the role.
“The film is about the man behind the myth, the power of his music, the sheer voltage of his talent and charisma, and his formidable demons,” Hiddleston says. “He worked hard, played hard, lived hard there were women, there was whiskey but when he sang about being in the doghouse in ‘Move It On Over’, or about his heartbreak in ‘I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry’, it came from an honest place. Hank’s life has a tragic arc, but in simple truth, he was a genius: a star that burned twice as bright and lived half as long. It’s a huge role for me and a huge responsibility. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.”
Hiddleston, who says he’s “already started singing and playing every day,” also told The Daily Mail he’s been working with Rodney Crowell to get pointers on how to emulate Hank. “It was spine-tingling just to spend a day playing some of Hank’s greatest hits like Hey Good Lookin’ and Long Gone Lonesome Blues with such a gifted musician. He’s already expanded my vocal range and given me a few pointers about adapting my own tone to sound like Hank. Rodney has furnished me with his beautiful J45 Gibson to practice with. And he’ll be on hand throughout the shoot.”
Further details about the movie were also revealed, like how the film will delve into the personal relationships Williams had with his wife Audrey, his mother Lillie, songwriter and executive Fred Rose, his second wife, and is Drifting Cowboy band, and will run all the way up to Hank’s death on New Years Day, 1953.
I Saw The Light is set to begin filming in Louisiana in October. It is based off of the Colin Escott biography of Hank’s life, and is directed and written by Marc Abraham.
June 23, 2014 @ 9:15 am
I wonder who’s gonna play that hussy Audrey…
June 23, 2014 @ 9:47 am
Hank and Audrey both had their faults for sure but she was the perfect person to not only push Hank to use his talent, but manage his career, he was not a business man by any means. She also was the inspiration for most if not all of the original music that came from his wonderful mind…..they needed each other for success!!
June 23, 2014 @ 9:28 am
I thought Tom had the look anyway 😀 , but I’m glad to hear that he seems to have put a lot of work and thought into this project already.
June 23, 2014 @ 9:33 am
Matthew McConaughey? Does he even sing? Play guitar? He’s a little old, ain’t he? (44, and yes I do know about make-up).
Whoever can play Hank like Sissy Spacek played Loretta is who should do it. Actually sing. Actually play. This Brit sounds promising, no?
Hopefully I Saw The Light turns out as good as Coal Miner’s Daughter.
June 23, 2014 @ 3:02 pm
As Hank3 has said, he was using Matthew McConaughey more as an example, not as a specific candidate who must be considered. I think his sentiments should be considered less McConaughey vs. Hiddleston, and more a Southerner vs. someone else. Not saying that’s right or wrong, but I think Hank3’s position continues to be a little misunderstood.
June 23, 2014 @ 9:47 am
As I said in the post about Hank III’s comments, I think Hiddleston will do just fine.
But after reading how Hank feels about it, I doubt any performance will ever be good enough for him. He’s definitely got a bias for having McConaughey play Sr, and I don’t know if his personal attachment to that bias will let him see a good performance from someone else.
I just feel an “I told ya so” will happen, but an “I stand corrected” never will. I do hope that I’m wrong, though.
June 23, 2014 @ 11:43 am
This guy just has the “look” in his eyes that McConaughey, for all his talent and skill, doesn’t. And with Crowell on board, there’s a good chance things are gonna turn out ok.
June 23, 2014 @ 12:17 pm
I wish movie makers would stop recreating the original music when doing these types of films. I believe it diminishes the legacy a bit.
June 23, 2014 @ 3:05 pm
I’m not sure that’s going to happen in this instance. They have licensed the original music from Sony ATV, so it will be the original songs used in the recorded context. However there may be parts in the movie that show Hank performing, and instead of having Hiddleston up there lip syncing to an obvious backing track, they want him to sing it live to be more authentic.
As a side note, on ABC’s TV show “Nashville”, they have all the stars sing the songs, but when they’re shooting, they have them lip sync to the pre-recorded track of themselves. I really think that approach takes away from the experience.
June 24, 2014 @ 7:59 am
As long as there isn’t a new generation idolizing an actor instead of Hank after this movie is made, I’ll be happy.
I for one did not like the Johnny Cash movie. I think Joaquin Phoenix was the wrong man for the job, and having to hear him try to sing Cash was god awful.
June 24, 2014 @ 9:08 am
You are aware that Johnny Cash himself picked Joaquin Phoenix for the role, right? In fact Cash said he would not help with production if Phoenix didn’t get the role.
June 24, 2014 @ 9:15 am
I was not aware of that!
Either way, I’ve never been much of a Johnny Cash fan, and I didn’t think the movie was all that entertaining. He’s always seemed like more of a crossover artist than country and western to me.
I’ve got some faith that this movie will be done well. Just like Walk The Line, this movie will be critically viewed by fans of Hank.
June 23, 2014 @ 12:22 pm
I completely understand what Hank 3 was saying.I would’ve completely got behind McConaughey as Hank. He would’ve nailed it. Still, I have high hopes for what it looks like we’re getting. At least it seems like the guy is determined to give a good performance. Rodney Crowell only gives me reassurance. Guess we’ll be discussing this in about a year.
June 23, 2014 @ 12:30 pm
I know you need a bigger name than this for a successful movie, but Tim Blake Nelson would play an awesome Hank. I could see Leonardo DiCaprio pulling it off, too, if he didn’t need to sing. McConaughey would be a good choice though.
June 23, 2014 @ 2:02 pm
Hopefully when he sings, he’ll be able to hit the low key (Loki) in the songs.
June 23, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
What I think Hank3 is entirely missing is that country music is no longer wholly an American institution. And that reason is because of Hank Sr. I think that having a Brit play this role is an excellent choice on behalf of the producers/directors. It shows how this phenomenal music is able to cross languages and cultures without destroying the integrity, but also able to bring people together through the message and the music
June 24, 2014 @ 9:18 am
You have a good point. I think Hank III feels more strongly about who plays Hank than any of us could.
June 24, 2014 @ 9:14 am
Whoops, sorry. I meant to post this on this more recent thread:
I”™m not sure if Justin Townes Earle can act, but I bet he could pull off the stage persona and singing parts. He could certainly look physically similar, as well.
June 24, 2014 @ 11:04 am
Looking forward to seeing how this plays out! And I hate (for Hank III) how intense everyone got about his idea / suggestion, I get what he was saying about McConaughey being a southerner & all, but clearly that is a non-issue as explained in everyone else’s posts…..imo that would be similar to a movie director telling Hank III what he ‘thinks’ his music should sound like, or how he would write the song…..
I’ve always loved all the old photos of Hank, and just came across this interesting article regarding Lawton Little who has been a photographer (mainly of Country musicians) since way back….take a look if you get a chance, there are some great photos (& stories to go with)..check it out!!
http://bittersoutherner.com/lawson-little-the-threads-wind-west/
June 24, 2014 @ 11:08 am
I get what H3 was trying to say, as far as the Southern thing. If you’re not from the South… born, bred, and embraced it, you don’t really know what it is to be Southern. On several different levels. And I think he sees that in M Mc, that you know can’t be in a British actor…or from anywhere else for that matter.
Having said that, some British actors have done well in Southern roles. One that I enjoyed was Jude Law in Cold Mountain. Of course, playing a character from a book is different than playing a real life person. Not only will the actor have to get down the accent and attitude of the region, he has to recreate the mannerisms, voice, traits of the real Hank Williams. It’s going to be a tough role. I hope Hiddleston can pull it off. But it would have been fun to see M Mc in that role.
June 25, 2014 @ 8:57 am
As one who feels that there are several fine Southern actors who could play Hank, Sr. and that there is a real value in “where you come from”, that question is moot.
Mr. Hiddleston has the role and as a serious professional he will dig into this part with the best of his ability. And he clearly understands the challenge.
In the accompanying photograph, he has that sad, haunted. “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” look. If I were making suggestions to Hiddleston, I would tell him to travel to somewhere like Andalusia, go incognito, find a small low-rent motel, eat at Waffle House and local cafes, and drink in hardass redneck bars. Do that for about three weeks and that will help him enormously as an actor.
Ben Jones
June 25, 2014 @ 6:57 pm
I can’t believe anyone would seriously suggest that someone’s grandson wanting a Southerner to play the role of his legendary country singer grandpa is racist. Come on, dudes.
Hiddleston looks pretty good for the part. And I actually think Brits tend to be better at faking a Southern American accent than more “neutral” ones. The latter makes us all sound like John Wayne or a Valley Girl.
I suspect this will end up like “Walk the Line” at best. Kind of a usual biopic, but hopefully as well done as that Johnny Cash tale. I’m looking forward to it, regardless.
After all, Bridget Jones was played by an American. Scarlett O’Hara was played by a Brit. We all survived.
June 29, 2014 @ 11:11 am
I have to agree with Hank3. I would be a lot more excited over this movie if a Southerner was playing the lead role. While I understand that the actor chosen is doing his best to become the part, it is impossible to truly do. He can learn how to talk like a Southern, but he will probably overdue it like most actors. I hope it isn’t nearly as awful as walk the line. I saw it in theaters and after it was over I wanted that two hours of my life back. This movie will be heavily criticized by all Hank Williams loving Southerners
June 29, 2014 @ 11:30 am
Better a Brit than a yankee.