Tom Hiddleston Calls Fatherhood the Most Important Role of His Life

Actor Tom Hiddleston, best known for playing Loki in the Marvel franchise, has described fatherhood as the most important role of his life, saying that raising his two children with fiancée Zawe Ashton has completely transformed his outlook and priorities.

In an interview with Esquire UK, as reported by People magazine, the 45-year-old actor opened up about the emotional impact of parenthood and the deeper meaning it has brought to his life. Hiddleston said becoming a father had changed the centre of meaning in his life, describing being present for his children as a heavenly experience.

The actor said parenthood had expanded his capacity to love and made him experience emotions more deeply. He explained that becoming a parent made him feel more alive and brought a kind of love he had never experienced before.

Despite his demanding professional commitments, Hiddleston makes an effort to spend quality time with his children. Recalling a memorable journey after filming on a mountain, he said he flew back, landed at 6 a.m. and went straight to a playground to be with them.

Hiddleston also said his work had allowed him to introduce his children to subjects beyond their immediate surroundings, including Pompeii and mountaineer Edmund Hillary, whom he portrays in the film Tenzing. Asked whether he would encourage his children to pursue acting, he said he would support their choices, stressing that their happiness would remain his priority.

Hiddleston and Ashton, 42, first met in 2019 while starring opposite each other in the stage production Betrayal, where they played a married couple. They made their red-carpet debut at the 2021 Tony Awards and became engaged in March 2022. Hiddleston publicly expressed his happiness about their relationship in June that year.

Ashton announced her first pregnancy in 2022, and the couple welcomed their first child in October. Hiddleston later confirmed the arrival of their second child in December 2025. The couple has largely kept their family life private.

Reflecting on childbirth, Hiddleston previously described it as a profoundly life-altering experience, further highlighting how parenthood has reshaped his understanding of love and family.