Zawe Ashton shares rare comment about fiancé Tom Hiddleston as she details ‘empowering’ advice he gave her

He had some insider wisdom for her about joining the Marvel universe
"Happy Birthday, Harold" Charity Gala Celebrating Harold Pinter - After Party
Zawe Ashton makes rare comment about fiancé Tom Hiddleston
Dave Benett/Getty Images
Lisa McLoughlin 19 July 2023
The Weekender

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Zawe Ashton has revealed how her fiancé Tom Hiddleston prompted her to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The couple have kept their romance largely out of the spotlight since falling for one another while starring together in the 2019 revival of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal on the West End.

In June 2022, Hiddleston confirmed he was set to wed his actress fiancée, but kept tight-lipped about the romance, simply telling the LA Times: “I’m very happy”.

They went on to welcome their first child together last October, but are yet to disclose the name or sex of their baby.

Wimbledon 2023 - Day Fourteen - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
The couple welcomed their first child last October
PA

Despite remaining tight-lipped on their romance, the 38-year-old shared the “empowering” career advice Hiddleston, 42, gave her as she contemplated joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Ashton is set to portray Dar-Benn, the Kree revolutionary villain, in this year’s The Marvels film while her other half is known for playing Loki in a plethora of MCU movies, notably Thor.

She told Entertainment Weekly: “One of the main takeaways from our conversations was: ‘What you put into Marvel, you get back.’

“He said, ‘If you go into this with an open heart and a great work ethic and just want to provide an amazing experience for the fans, you’ll have an amazing experience on those sets.’ He really empowered me in that way.”

Ashton added that Hiddleston also offered practical advice for her first appearance in the superhero spin-off. She joked: “He also had some very good practical advice, which was, ‘Make sure you have enough zippers to go to the bathroom in your costume’”.

The Fresh Meat star added that she felt “very moved” being involved in The Marvels, set for release on November 10, which she described as an “all-female sci-fi extravaganza, with a woman on the other side of the camera”.

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