The cast and crew of 'Loki' on timecops and other episode 2 spoilers

Owen Wilson, Tom Hiddleston and the cast and crew of Loki, the new hit series on Disney+, talk about timecops, and reveal other episode 2 spoilers.

Video transcript

- How long have you been here?

- I don't know, it's hard to say. You know, time passes differently here in the TVA.

- What does that mean?

- You'll catch up.

ETHAN ALTER: With episode two, it feels almost like a procedural a little way in that one episode where like Loki and Mobius are kind of like time cops, you know, Benson and Stabler in that way. Was that part of your inspiration to make it feel sort of like a "Law and Order MCU Edition" almost?

KATE HERRON: I think for like episode two, honestly, like, we had references like "Se7en" and I love film noir. I mean, you can even see the reference. I think we have a needle drop that is a direct reference to "Se7en" in episode two. And even just how we covered when he's in the archives and reading. I think for me it was I love detective stories. And I think it was more just about making sure it was a good mystery and a fun case to crack. And obviously, you can never predict because so much for me, like those stories, it's about the chemistry. And Owen and Tom have this incredible chemistry.

- Makes you sound super smart.

- I am smart.

- I know.

- OK.

- OK.

ETHAN ALTER: When you're out in the field with him in episode two, was that fun? Did you feel like a Stabler and Benson from "Law Order" investigating time shenanigans?

OWEN WILSON: I remember kind of doing those scenes and it was a lot of-- even like going to places that we visit in history and a lot of that stuff you just don't know how it's going to turn out because we're filming it in Atlanta they say that oh, we're going to add all this stuff with special effects. But I guess you just have to take their word for it.

ETHAN ALTER: There's a really interesting scene with you and Owen Wilson and Mobius sort of talking about the timekeepers. I think that the whole relationship between Renslayer and the timekeepers is really interesting. What can you sort of talk about that scene and what her relationship is with-- with--with-- with the timekeepers overall?

GUGU MBATHA-RAW: Renslayer is in such a high authority position. She's one of the few judges that sort of reports directly to the timekeepers and they really are her, you know, her mega superboss. So even though she has a lot of power in the TVA there is a whole realm above her.

So it's interesting because I think with the dynamic with Mobius, Owen Wilson's character, she has a longstanding friendship with him so everything is sort of colored by their relationship and their backstory. But equally, you know, she has a lot on her plate and a lot on her shoulders in terms of not messing things up for the timekeepers because they hold such huge power and respect over her. And that shifts as the story goes on.

ETHAN ALTER: Jumping ahead to episode two, you have a great moment towards the end of that episode where you get to play Loki, which is a really fun scene to do just briefly, but it's so fun. What was it like preparing for that and how did you and Tom work through playing two sides of the same character in that way?

WUNMI MOSAKU: Oh, I was playing a game. Like he would-- we were just kind of going through like Loki-isms and trying to get-- see who he is and how he-- just watching him and the way he moves, and his signature moves, and smile, his signature smile. Yeah. Yeah, it was fun.

ETHAN ALTER: What was it like to act opposite yourself in the body of these different characters? What was that experience like?

TOM HIDDLESTON: Ah, really interesting, yeah, because again, fun to have a mirror like that. So I suppose Loki's made up of these characteristics, he's-- he's playful, and charming, and witty, and full of grievance and interior pain and isolation and to see different actors bring those qualities to bear in their own way I found really enjoyable. It's quite a confronting mirror for me at least.

[LAUGHS]

ETHAN ALTER: How did you work with Tom to sort of establ-- give each one its own distinct identity while also reflecting Loki in these different bodies?

KATE HERRON: Well, I think the fun of it, right, is that in terms of the design, I think honestly it's from the comics. Like you see a lot of it's already established in that sense. But I think really it's like the rules we set up in the first episode really defined kind of the rules of a Loki almost. And then it's kind of like OK, so here are the rules but might not be exactly what you get, guys, so we're going to kind of twist them a little bit here and there. So that's kind of the amount I'd want to say without ruining anything for anyone, but yeah, happy to dig in at a later date.

[LAUGHS]

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