Loki’s Sylvie reveals what shaped the character’s badass fighting style

Episode 3 of Loki featured the titular Marvel Cinematic Universe villain forging a harmful alliance together with his alternate timeline counterpart Sylvie, and sparks flew as the 2 tricksters tried to escape a doomed moon. It was our first actual take a look at Sylvie — who’s decided to take down the omniscient Time-Keepers — and she or he left followers excited for the fourth episode, which hit Disney Plus on Wednesday.

The character is performed with mischievous vitality by actor Sophia Di Martino, who beforehand appeared in Danny Boyle’s 2019 Beatles celebration Yesterday, post-apocalyptic martial arts present Into the Badlands and an array of British drama collection.

Loki is Di Martino’s first MCU position, so I used to be excited to talk along with her over Zoom about her whirlwind audition course of, how she made Sylvie really feel completely different from Tom Hiddleston’s iconic Loki and episode 3’s second of LGBTQI illustration.

Here is a transcript of our dialog, flippantly edited for readability.

Q: I really like the way you’re taking part in Sylvie thus far, she’s such an intriguing character. Are you able to inform me the way you got here to be concerned in Loki?
Di Martino: Thanks. I might already labored with [director] Kate Herron and had a script come by way of to do an audition tape. It was a extremely quick scene; I feel the characters had been referred to as Bob and Sarah. And that was it — the shortest audition course of I feel I’ve ever been by way of. I did not get to do display checks or remembers or something as a result of I used to be closely pregnant on the time.

I additionally could not journey and Tom was in New York, so we could not bodily meet and I discovered myself on FaceTime with Tom. Then shortly after that, I used to be solid. I nonetheless have hassle wrapping my head round it. It is loopy.

I bear in mind interviews with Marvel actors who say they had been despatched massive stacks of comics to learn as they ready for the roles. Did this occur to you?
To be sincere, I did not have time. All of it occurred so shortly. There wasn’t time to learn a giant stack of comics. Kate did ship me a number of, however I do not bear in mind which of them with out going residence and checking.

Did you watch any non-Marvel films to organize?
One of many films we watched for stunt references was Atomic Blonde — the battle scenes in which might be nice. Charlize Theron is super-strong and fights like a person. We wished Sylvie to be a brawler; we did not need her to be too elegant in the way in which she fights as a result of that is Loki’s factor. He is so balletic in the way in which that he strikes, however Sylvie is extra of a road fighter.

What was your earlier expertise with Marvel films, and Loki specifically?
I might watched a number of of the movies and actually loved them. However to be sincere, I did not know very a lot in any respect. Tom has taught me loads by way of his “Loki Lecture” [which the actor uses to help new actors catch up] and, and simply being round him — he is aware of a lot. If I’ve a query about something, I can simply ask Tom and more often than not he’ll know the reply.

Given the obvious relationship between your character and Tom’s, did his efficiency as Loki encourage yours?
I feel it was necessary for me to make Sylvie her personal character. So I did not wish to do an impression of Tom or attempt to copy his Loki — I am horrible at impressions. I obtained to know who Loki was and did analysis round that, however I began from scratch actually.

There are similarities, however quite a lot of that comes from the script and from their vitality. She’s additionally mischievous and anarchic in her personal approach — that form of chaotic vitality carries by way of. However I additionally wished her to be her personal particular person.

That is sensible. Primarily based on episode 3, it appeared like these are two individuals who’ve had very completely different life experiences.
Positive they’ve. Loki grew up as a prince and Sylvie didn’t.

“Should’ve been some would-be princesses or maybe one other prince?” That line from episode 3 has gotten a giant response. And I do know Kate Herron stated acknowledging Loki is bisexual was one of many objectives of the present. Did that make you place extra weight on the road? It is exhausting to inform.
I used to be conscious it was a extremely necessary illustration for the present and that the comics have talked about that for a very long time with the mythology of Loki, so it was tremendous necessary. However I simply performed the road for the road; I did not give it some thought having this a lot consideration once we had been filming. Which is sweet; I might have messed it up.