Sadly, no muscle suit
But Richard E. Grant is rather grateful to don role of older, lonelier Classic Loki
Warning: This interview contains spoilers from Episode Five of Marvel's Loki
Loki Disney+
Joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a dream come true for lifelong, self-described “geek” Richard E. Grant.
But the Oscar nominee is still bothered by one thing after he joined Marvel's Loki series last week — he didn't get to wear a muscle suit.
“Having been born without any muscles, I thought I was going to be in a muscle suit ... but they said, `No, you're not wearing a muscle suit ... you'll have magical powers,'” he says with a grin in a video call from the U.K. “I thought I looked like Kermit the Frog. “I'm still sore I didn't get to have the muscle suit.”
Grant joined Marvel's Loki on the Disney+ series' penultimate episode as Classic Loki — an older, lonelier version of the Asgardian God of Mischief. It's a delicious part for the 64-yearold, who says his Marvel fandom stretches back decades.
Ahead of Wednesday's season finale, Grant sounded off on what sets Classic Loki apart from his brethren, going viral with Owen Wilson and why his late father's pep talk ended up being prophetic:
Q How did you get the job in the first place?
A They said they were offering me the role of Old Loki. I was told I would be in one episode, and they asked me to read it and see if this appealed to me. Tom (Hiddleston) wanted me, Kate Herron, the director, wanted me, I had never been to Atlanta, so it was plus, plus, plus. I was thrilled
on all three counts.
Q What can fans expect from this week's finale?
A I have no idea because I never got to read it. I was only given the script of the episode I was in.
Q What do you think helped set Classic Loki apart from the other variant Lokis we met last week?
A Rather than saying he's the God of Mischief, which is so emblematic of Tom Hiddleston's interpretation, he says he's the God of Outcasts. He's someone who has been isolated and alone, living on this remote planet . ... I thought that is the key to who this guy is. The loneliness makes this guy so interesting to play and different than Tom's version.
Q So what did the variant Richard E. Grant end up doing with his life, then?
A The variant decided to become Alligator Loki so he could continue outliving dinosaurs and human beings (laughs).
Q You've had a pretty amazing career that started way back in 1987 with Withnail and I. What do you make of it all?
A It has astounded me, and it would have certainly astounded my late father, who died when he was 53 and I was 24. He said to me, `Do you really think you can make a living wearing makeup and tights?' I said, `You don't have to wear that much makeup and you don't have to wear tights for a lot of things.' But his words have come home to roost because the thing I'm talking to you about right now is a role where I wear makeup and tights — and green tights at that. But it's been such an interesting career ... I feel astonished that any of this happened to me.