Introduced in the pages of Thor #617 by Matt Fraction and Pasqual Ferry, Kid Loki became an instant hit with comic book fans and was later put on the map in the pages of Kieron Gillen's Journey Into Mystery. The character made his live-action debut in Loki's fourth episode in a memorable mid-credits scene before taking centre stage alongside his fellow Variants in the show's fifth instalment.
Actor Jack Veal did a phenomenal job bringing this version of the God of Mischief to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and we were recently fortunate enough to catch up with him over email.
Speaking prior to the announcement of a second season of Loki, Jack opened up about the process of being cast as Kid Loki, his impressive co-stars (including Alligator Loki and Tom Hiddleston), what he knows about the character's MCU future, and the big reveal that his Variant murdered Thor!
Needless to say, we want to extend a huge thank you to Jack for taking the time to answer our questions, and for more from him on Loki - and his career - be sure to give him a follow on Instagram! The actor has also recently done some work with St John Ambulance, so read about them here.
What was the process of being cast in Loki like for you and how long was it before you found out you’d be playing the Kid Loki Variant?
The role was very secretive when I auditioned. It was rather mysterious and exciting. To be honest; me and even my agent didn't know what the role was at the time of auditioning!
How helpful were the comic books in terms of bringing you up to speed with Kid Loki and his importance in Loki’s history?
I have read a few Marvel comics previous to Loki - Journey into Mystery series. The comics helped me to understand Loki’s wicked sense of humour and personality. I was reading one of the comics that had "Ikol" (You may be familiar with him). That character helped me capture Loki’s mature side and his cunning ways.
Was Tom Hiddleston an important part of helping you capture the spirit of the God of Mischief in the series?
Definitely, we had a load of chats talking about how Loki "really feels." He seems malicious and incompetent but is hurt deep down. He feels unaccepted and as Classic said: We believe we are the "God of Outcasts." And even in just watching Tom perform I was able to truly understand the semantics of Loki’s character.
Working with Richard E. Grant and Owen Wilson must have also been a real learning experience?
It was a great learning experience to be surrounded by such skilled actors. It was very surreal. They were a pleasure to work with.
Kid Loki reveals that his Nexus Event was killing Thor; was that backstory something you talked a lot about with Kate Herron to get a better feel for what led him to this place?
I wasn’t told much about the backstory of me Killing Thor, but the good part of that was that I could use my imagination with [that]. I could really own that part of Kid Loki and make it mine. Tom also said about that being something his Loki wouldn’t do. It’s so very true. It helps me imagine that maybe there is a deeper and darker side to Loki.
What is it about Kid Loki that you think means he’s been able to become the King of The Void instead of the many other Variants we meet here?
Many people don't know this but Kid Loki is the oldest one in the void. He was pruned thousands of years before and just didn't age because of the void being the end of time as said by Judge Renslayer. It is also the sheer fact that he Killed Thor. Because as I said - no other Loki would dare try or even do that successfully. That not only makes him the Oldest but the most intimidating as well.
Everyone is talking about Alligator Loki, but what was your experience like on set working with what we’ve now seen on Twitter was a blue, plush stand-in?
It was hilarious. It is so astounding that a blue plush could represent such a realistic looking alligator. I would have to carry it around everywhere on set, so I became quite used to it after a while. It also had some googly eyes stuck on making it much more entertaining!
After Classic Loki’s sacrifice, Kid and Alligator Lokis are very much on their own now - looking ahead to the future, how would you like to see Kid Loki’s story continue in the MCU?
I don't know where Kid Loki is going or if it is going anywhere but what I do know is - that Kid Loki is such an intricate and complex character (after him killing Thor especially) that an exploration of his backstory and what he does going forward would be awesome to see.
Marvel Studios appears to be laying the groundwork for the Young Avengers in the MCU by introducing characters like Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye, and given Kid Loki’s history as a member of the team, how would you feel about being involved in a project like that?
It has already been such an amazing journey and I never expected to get this far. To make a step like that would be so surreal. I would love to do something as great as that but as of now I haven't heard anything of The Young Avengers from Marvel.
In the past few weeks, you’d got your own emoji, character poster, and Funko Pop; what does that mean to you, as an actor, and did you ever anticipate the MCU would have such a huge impact on your career?
I am genuinely so grateful for what has come with this role. I love acting and hope to continue it. This role has given me so much and opened many doors of opportunity for me. It is overwhelming and I thank everyone that has supported me. To have things like my own poster and Funko pop is unimaginable and it means everything. My uncle was an actor and I am proud to follow in his footsteps and thank my Grandparents and Parents for bringing me into this industry.
Finally, are there any other projects you’d like to tell our readers about and where can they find you on social media?
I have been auditioning for some new roles and looking forward to seeing what new roles and challenges may come about. Also, if anyone wants to see what I am up to feel free to follow me on Instagram @jack_anthony_veal.