Hayley Atwell reveals reservations about starring in Shakespeare with Tom Hiddleston

The Captain America star feared she would have to barn dance in Elizabethan rom com Much Ado About Nothing, but was won over by the modern playlist.

Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston attend the press night performance of
Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston are starring together in a new production of Much Ado About Nothing. (Getty Images)

Hayley Atwell worried that starring in Shakespeare with Tom Hiddleston would involve barn dancing.

The Marvel stars are to reunite on stage in a new production of Shakespeare's romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing in the West End. Atwell — known to fans of the Marvel cinematic universe as Captain America's love interest Agent Peggy Carter — revealed she had asked the director how "Hey Nonny Nonny" the production would be, but was won over by the modern playlist.

And Hiddleston, known for playing Thor villain Loki, called the Elizabethan play "the original rom-com".

Tom Hiddleston, winner of Best Male Newcomer award, poses in the press room with actress Hayley Atwell during the Jameson Empire Awards 2012 at Grosvenor House, on March 25, 2012 in London, England.  (Photo by Jon Furniss/WireImage)
Marvel stars Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell are performing Shakespeare together. (Getty Images)

Hiddleston and Atwell appeared on The One Show on Tuesday, 19 January to talk to hosts Lauren Laverne and Alex Jones about their upcoming theatre run.

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Atwell confessed: "When Jamie Lloyd, the director called me to offer me the part Beatrice, my only question for him was 'How Hey Nonny Nonny' is it going to be. And will we be doing barn dancing? And he then basically practically shared a Spotify playlist with me and the music was not in any way Hey Nonny Nonny.

Read more: Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston

"I think that the great thing about Shakespeare is it's for now, for people now. Back then it was, you know, the songs chosen at the time were very much of its time. And so we brought it into a modern day, very kind of a live concept, which is very playful, very joyful. In the rehearsals today, I kept on thinking, because there's a lot of dancing in it, and it's like we were dancing like nobody was watching, but everyone is watching."

Jones asked Hiddleston why he had arrived at the make-up room of The One Show from rehearsals with pink confetti in his hair. He explained: "Well, yeah, Much Ado About Nothing is, is about a big celebration. Loosely, the plot of the play is that a group of very old friends come together to celebrate and have a big party. And at this party, two young people fall in love and everyone's delighted for them.

Hayley Atwell (L) and Tom Hiddleston attend The Weinstein Company and Entertainment Film Distributors Post-BAFTA Party hosted by Chopard and Grey Goose at LouLou's on February 10, 2013 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)
Hayley Atwell teased Tom Hiddleston about his agile lunges. (Getty Images)

"And also at this party. Beatrice, played by Hailey and Benedict are these old sparring partners who have this, kind of historic chemistry, which is of a kind of duelling, sparkling wit and everybody loves it. And then all their friends get together and help them realise that actually they were destined for each other the whole time.

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"And so it is a great, a great love story. It's one of Shakespeare's great comedies, and there is a wedding, and therefore there is confetti, and in our production, it might be pink. And there might be some lunging and other things that happen at weddings and parties, you know, people get excited and they do agile things."

Hiddleston was challenged by the other guests on the show to demonstrate his lunging technique after Atwell claimed it was so impressive. She said: "The rehearsals that we're doing at the moment are so free. When you said fragile or agile it reminded me of Tom's very agile lunge that I've witnessed."

Urged to demonstrate his 'agile lunge' Hiddleston said: "You have to come and see the show if you want to see the the lunge. I'm not sure my trousers actually would cope with it."

The One Show airs on BBC One at 7pm on weekdays.

Much Ado About Nothing runs at the Theatre Royal Drury from 10 February to 5 April 2025.