Tessa Thompson Says Chris Hemsworth Is Like a “Baby With Muscles” and Praises His Fearless, Playful Energy Shooting THOR
At the BFI London Film Festival, Tessa Thompson had the audience cracking up as she reflected on her career, from indie films to the cosmic chaos of Thor.
The actress, who’s currently promoting her latest project Hedda, took a moment to share some hilarious and heartfelt stories from her time in the Marvel universe, including what it’s really like working with Chris Hemsworth and Taika Waititi.
Thompson couldn’t help but gush over her Thor family, describing director Taika Waititi in the most endearing way possible. “He’s a huge infant, just, he’s like an infant with a bank account,” she said with a laugh.
“It’s terrifying and he should be stopped,” she added, clearly saying it with affection for the filmmaker’s childlike approach to creativity.
When it came to Hemsworth, Thompson didn’t hold back her admiration, or her humor. “He’s a baby with muscles, a very big infant who has no inhibition and will just do anything you know, to get the laugh and to discover, so it’s a pleasure to work with him.”
Thompson explained that making Thor movies often feels like pure playtime on a massive scale. “It’s so goofy making those movies sometimes,” she said. “The mechanism of making those films requires a place of pure imagination, you know, where you just have to play like a kid.”
For Thompson, that childlike energy is exactly what drew her to the Marvel role in the first place. “I really wanted to make a movie like that, because I’m not sure I can do that, and I really want to figure out if I can. And it was just so fun. It really, really freed me up.”
While the Marvel universe let her unleash her inner kid, Thompson’s latest project, Hedda, takes her to a completely different creative space. The film marks another collaboration with director Nia DaCosta, with Thompson starring as the title character in a modern reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, and it’s one she describes as thrillingly daunting.
“I really like to do things that terrify me, I really like that,” Thompson said, noting that few women of color have historically played the role. But for her, that wasn’t the motivation.
“I became conscious that I’m not sure I would have got the opportunity, were it not for a filmmaker that was interested in putting people like me in the center of a frame.”
She praised DaCosta’s unique vision for the film, saying it made Ibsen’s work feel fresh and fun. “The idea of getting to present something that might not be for everybody, but there might be a whole new generation or group of people that suddenly are like, Ibsen, who’s this? Ibsen felt really sexy and fun to me.”
Thompson also reflected on her early days working with Ryan Coogler on Creed, recalling how the director’s independent spirit shaped the big studio project. She explained that both she and Michael B. Jordan improvised a lot, with Coogler capturing voice notes that eventually became part of the script.
When asked how she feels watching herself on screen, Thompson admitted it’s something she’s still getting used to. “It’s not my favorite thing, but I am improving,” she shared.
She laughed about how she used to squint through her own scenes at premieres but said producing has helped her develop a more objective eye.
Discussing her craft, Thompson also highlighted the importance of the Meisner technique and the power of silence in acting. “Words are overrated, like dialogue and speaking is actually overrated when I think about character,” she said. “So much is communicated in silence and so much that you don’t say.”
Thompson continues to push creative boundaries and it’s clear she’s someone who thrives on curiosity, courage, and playfullness both on screen and off.