Inside Tom Hiddleston’s Fred Astaire Moment — And the Dance That Stunned a Town

Tom Hiddleston, famously known for his mischievous turn as Loki in the Marvel universe, is stepping into very different shoes for his latest role in The Life of Chuck. The film, a Stephen King adaptation directed by horror specialist Mike Flanagan, offers a surprising message: what if joy — not fear — was our response to the apocalypse?

Filmed under the scorching Alabama sun, Hiddleston wasn’t battling monsters or wielding supernatural powers. Instead, he was dancing—quite literally—on the hot pavement. “I burned holes in my shoes,” he laughed, “You could see my socks through the soles.” Despite the heatwave and physical strain, Hiddleston was euphoric, comparing the experience to Fred Astaire’s classic line: “Heaven… I’m in heaven.”

Flanagan, known for his chilling works like The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep, takes a different tone in The Life of Chuck, a celebration of human resilience as the world edges toward oblivion. “Joy in the face of oblivion was the whole point,” Flanagan explained.

Hiddleston was drawn to this theme after reading the script while on vacation with his family. The actor connected with Flanagan over their shared hope for a joyful world—especially the kind of world Hiddleston wants his young son to inherit. “It became really clear that he was the guy,” Flanagan said of the actor.

The film’s centerpiece is a breathtaking outdoor dance number featuring Hiddleston and Annalise Basso, filmed over four days in Alabama. The scene became something of a cinematic miracle, with Flanagan recalling, “It was like watching two people leave the ground.” So genuine was the energy that even the extras applauded after each take. “By the third day of the shoot, I was like, I never want to shoot anything else.”

The Life of Chuck premiered to acclaim, winning the Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Opening in limited release on June 6 and expanding nationally on June 13, the film is far from a typical apocalypse story. It’s a testament that even at the end, there can be beauty, wonder, and the defiant power of joy.

For Hiddleston, that message hits home. “All good things come to an end,” he told Vanity Fair. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t fill them with beauty first.”