The blues, the heartache, the myth and how Tom Hiddleston can prove the critics wrong

The social media networks were hit by the news Tom Hiddleston will play the role of the famous country crooner Hank Williams and ever since the fans, the critics and everyone plus your mother is giving an opinion. Here’s Edge and Back point of view on the Brit who will tackle the Country Singer.
“The film is about the man behind the myth, the power of his music, the sheer voltage of his talent and charisma, and his formidable demons. He worked hard, played hard, lived hard. There were women, there was whiskey but when he sang about being in the doghouse in Move It On Over, or about his heartbreak in I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, it came from an honest place” – Tom Hiddleston

This is what Hiddleston had to say about the part in the Daily Mail article and added new fuel on the line of debates kick-started with the following topics: is Hiddleston a good choice for this role? Can Hiddleston actually sing and be good at it? Why the Hell the producers didn’t go with an all American actor?  Hank Williams is an American country singer.

We’re getting the kicks on actually tackling and raising a few questions of our own on this whole sink and swim role.

First of all, the whole he’s a Brit playing and American singer. Darlings, I’m Romanian and honestly I would pay to see a producer, a director or anyone who will decide when they do for the thousand time a movie about Dracula – in case you’ve missed your history thrills Bram Stoker loved to mess with the tales and made one of our rulers a  villain with an all peculiar accent and penchant for blood. Vlad the Impaler has been portrayed on screen by various British actors. Gary Oldman, Christopher Lee, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and the last one to join the fang group, Luke Evans. Is it too much to ask for a Romanian actor? For crying out loud, we do have actors in our country and many more who enter college and strive to become entertainers. Is too much to ask for an actual Romanian Dracula? Here’s the bittersweet answer. Hell will actually freeze the day a studio will risk its money on a Romanian main actor for this part. British actors have what it takes, it seems for getting right or close to it. Why? It might be the combination of accent, stage skills, smoldering looks and aristocratic flavor mixed with “I’ll raise Hell and look good doing it”.

Let’s take a stroll down cinematic history and recall another little moment called Vivien Leigh gets the part of Scarlett O’Hara, you know the embodiment of the Southern Belle. It wasn’t Bette Davies who got the part but the British actress and guess what? The crowds were not pleased. Up until Leigh showed on screen and made everyone choke up their words.

Bottom line is, it doesn’t matter if the actor chosen is British, Russian, French or American. It all comes down to going to the auditions and proving the whole bunch of producers, studio execs and casting crew that you’re the perfect choice for the part. That’s what happened with Tom Hiddleston nailing the part of Hank Williams and we get the fact Williams grandson isn’t a happy camper but here are a few words of advice for the man: ” let the actor do this work and then come back and criticize after you’ve seen the movie”. It works for movie goers, it goes for critics and it will go smoothly for Williams Jr.

Hank Williams was a country singer and let’s face it, Hiddleston will have to pull a Joaquin Phoenix feat and be good at hitting those notes. Phoenix portrayal of Johnny Cash was gold. From the looks to the singing side wrapped up with an amazing performance of the role. Can Hiddleston do that? We’ve heard the man sing in the Pirate Fairy movie, it was fun, up the top but I wouldn’t go with that song on an audition to amaze the audience. Hiddleston dabbled lately with singing, may it be a charity event or belting out “Stand by me”. He had fun, he showed some skills but ladies and gents, Hank Williams had some pipes, some God damned good pipes and if the man who made critics choke on their written words about his talent and making Loki a character capable of going toe to toe with powerful movie villains, will deliver a solid performance and improve his singing range, we might look at a role which will get him some nominations. The question remains…can he do it? Hiddleston stated in his latest interview he’s preparing for the singing parts with Rodney Crowell. Marc Abraham, the director of “I Saw The Light” gave Hiddleston the vote of confidence after seeing his on stage at Donmar in that little show many battled to actually get a ticket, Coriolanus. Trust me it was worth the effort and every penny invested into it.

“Hank’s life has a tragic arc, but in simple truth, he was a genius: a star that burned twice as bright and lived half as long. It’s a huge role for me and a huge responsibility. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got“, says Tom Hiddleston. He trust him he will do just that, he’s an accomplished actor already but in need of that main stage role. He is Loki, supporting cast although forever number one in our hearts, he proved his Shakespeare skills, he can do comedy, he will show us his dark, gothic thrills, he can be an interesting vampire but can Tom Hiddleston take over a main role, make it his own and slam every critic out there who doubted he can do it? That’s what is at stake right now. We know he is a dedicated actor, a talented actor, an actor not afraid of challenging roles but he needs to step down from the supporting roles on main screen and start pulling on the starring parts. He needs to be there where Downey Jr., Hugh Jackman and Michael Fassbender are. Can he do it?

It’s the sink and swim question. He won the part, fair and square, we know he isn’t shy of pushing his limits and likes a good on screen challenge. This role can be the one. This can be the role – if the movie is also promoted during Academy Awards season – with an Oscar nomination attached to it. This can also be the ”it” role.

In a Fast and Furious approach of ”ride or die”, we’re looking at a new chapter in Tom Hiddleston’s career and by George, he’s got the brawn to ”prove those critics wrong”.