Washington [US], October 14 (ANI): The ‘Loki’ star says becoming a father has completely changed his outlook on life as he reflects on raising his two children with fiancee Zawe Ashton.
Actor Tom Hiddleston has described fatherhood as the “most important role” he will ever play, saying that raising his two children with fiancée Zawe Ashton has transformed his life and given it a new sense of meaning.
In an interview with Esquire UK, as cited by People magazine, the 'Loki' star opened up about the emotional impact of parenthood and the profound changes it has brought to his priorities.
“Becoming a father has completely changed my life,” Hiddleston said, adding, “It’s changed the centre of meaning in my life. It’s the most important thing I’ll ever do, the most important role I’ll ever play. And to be there with them for them, alongside them. It’s... it’s... heaven.”
The actor also spoke about how becoming a parent has deepened his capacity to experience emotions, describing the love he feels for his children as unlike anything else.
“I don’t think I could ever have been prepared for how your heart expands, becoming a parent,” he said, adding, “You just feel more of everything. You feel more deeply. You feel... it’s a love like no other.”
Asked whether experiencing emotions more intensely was entirely a positive thing, Hiddleston replied, “Yes, because you’re just more alive.”
Despite his professional commitments, Hiddleston said he makes time to be present for his children.
Recalling one particularly memorable journey home after filming on a mountain, the actor described flying back, landing at 6 a.m. and heading straight to the playground to spend time with them.
His work has also given him opportunities to introduce his children to subjects beyond their immediate surroundings.
Hiddleston said they know about Pompeii and Edmund Hillary, the mountaineer he portrays in Tenzing.
As per People magazine, the actor also addressed whether he would encourage his children to pursue acting if they expressed an interest in following his career path. Hiddleston said he would support their decision, emphasising that their happiness would ultimately matter most to him.
Hiddleston, 45, shares two children with his fiancee, Zawe Ashton, 42, an actress known for her roles in The Marvels and The Handmaid’s Tale.
The couple has largely kept their relationship and family life away from the public eye.
The two first met in 2019 while starring opposite each other in the stage production of Betrayal, in which they played a married couple. They made their red carpet debut together at the 2021 Tony Awards.
The couple became engaged in March 2022. A few months later, Hiddleston offered a rare public comment about their relationship, telling the Los Angeles Times in June that year, “I’m very happy.”
Ashton announced her first pregnancy in 2022, debuting her baby bump at a special screening of Mr Malcolm’s List in June. The couple welcomed their first child in October that year.
Hiddleston later confirmed the arrival of their second child in December 2025.
Reflecting on the experience of birth, he described it as the “most beautiful, profound, earth-shattering, life-altering” experience. (ANI)
Tom Hiddleston calls fatherhood the "most important role" of his life
