Edge Ensemble Vest in Black by HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE
Edge Ensemble Pant in Black by HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE

He’s mastered the art of being a professional superhero, an esteemed yet maniacal bodyguard, a Knight of the Round Table, and now, with the release of The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, a Navy SEAL. His work is wrought with integrity, from comedy to fantasy, and everything in between. He has done it all, including taking on the role of producer with his production company whose first movie will be released next year in which he stars. A class act with a sense of humor, Tom Hopper is an actor with all the factors.

Della Jacket + Mercer Pant. by John Varvatos

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is an expansion of the universe built from the first season of The Terminal List. What were you most excited about building up your character from scratch and what did you first identify about Raife Hastings?
I think the beauty of a character like Raife, and one of the reasons I was so excited to dive into his world, is because the source material in Jack Carr’s books is so rich. Raife is such a well written character, and I felt a huge responsibility to do him justice. He’s a fan favourite from the books, so people have an image in their head of him. So, the most exciting and challenging thing for me is to bring that image to life for them with the deepest level of authenticity so it sits true for our world of operators.

Was there any particular training you had to do for this role?
Plenty! We spent many hours with Jared Shaw and Ray Mendoza learning how to operate as Seals. It was the most phenomenal experience learning how these incredible individuals work.

Pleated Vest in Light Grey by HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE
Pleated Pant in Light Grey by HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE

What was the most difficult thing about portraying Raife Hastings and how did you overcome it?
Always being aware of the authenticity aspect was a big thing, as there’s so many things to remember from a performance standpoint. Also, the mental state these guys have to get into in order to turn the dial up to 10 and do things most humans never have to do.

The other element was Raife’s Rhodesian accent. It’s super specific to where he’s from, not just a standard South African. There are real nuances to it, and it was constant work to keep on top of it.

If your character had a theme song, what would it be? What would yours be?
Smoooth operatooooor

Kent Tee in jet black by NILI LOTAN
Allsaints Hanbury Straight Fit Pants by ALLSAINTS

Was there a certain intensity that you found to be different on this set than others you've been on?Absolutely. The stakes are so high on this set. Everything matters. Safety is a huge element as well, as we’re doing some intense scenes with active gunfire, real car explosions etc. But also, how much the work matters, and in honouring the servicemen and women we’re representing, we have a responsibility to get it right for them. That being said, we have the best time and so much fun on set, it’s without doubt one of the most fun sets I’ve been on.

Your talent has graced many genres, including comedy. What was the first comedic movie you remember watching? What is your favorite show to watch?
Well, my favourite comedy show of all time is Friends. I grew up on that show and it was my go-to on how to do comedy. But a movie that is so iconic to me for comedy was Austin Powers. I sat and watched that movie on repeat as a kid.

What do you find to be the easiest part about acting? What do you enjoy the most about it?
I think what’s so incredible about getting to do what I do is that we get to step in to the shoes of other people’s lives. We get to play and get a feel for other worlds that aren’t our own. In a way, it’s high-end fantasy play. Especially on this show, we may be grown men, but in our heads, we’re still excited 10-year-old boys playing guns. It’s never not fun.

What other aspects of storytelling fascinate you?
I love getting to tell someone’s story. To take them on a journey, but to bring an audience on that ride with them. If I can make the audience feel fear for a character, to truly care about them and what happens to them, or maybe make them hate them, make them get angry at a character and infuse real emotion… that’s when I can sleep at night knowing I did my job.

Are you interested in going behind the camera?
Yeah, I produce now with my wife, Laura. We have a production company in which we develop many different scripts and take them to camera when they are ready. I love the development side of the business. Taking something that is an idea on the page and building it to be that journey you take an audience on. Better, our first produced feature, comes out next year in which I played identical twin brothers. A really fun thriller, I’m excited for people to watch.

Is there a character you've become that made you realize things about yourself that you had not before portraying them?
In a way, pretty much every role does that to you in some respect. You have to dig deep inside yourself to bring things out you didn’t know were in there, in order to portray the truth of any character.

**Left:**
Bellini Tuxedo by John Varvatos
Shoes by MAGNANNI
**Right:**
John Varvatos Orchard Shirt in Black by John Varvatos
Pants by Christopher Schafer
Belt by Cole Haan

Merlin is quite the iconic show to be a part of considering its cult following and the Tumblr culture embracing it like a cousin of the SuperWhoLock fandom. Do you have any fond memories from that era of your life?
Absolutely! That was a truly special time in my life and I’m still very close to my brothers from that show. I see them all the time. That was also my first regular role on a show, so it was a big turning point in my career. We had the best time together making that.

What did you learn most from your time on The Umbrella Academy?
Next time someone says, “So are you ok to wear this giant muscle suit for the next 5yrs in the Toronto summers?”…… ask more questions

Do you have a favorite sweet treat?
I don’t really eat much sugar at all, but I do love dark chocolate. And if there’s some freshly made dark chocolate brownies being made, I’ll be hard pushed to say no to them… they hit different!

CREW CREDITS:
Talent: Tom Hopper
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director + Photographer + Producer: Mike Ruiz
Fashion Stylist: Alison Hernon at Exclusive Artists
Groomer: Michelle deMilt at TMG
Photography Assistants: River Chad, Dani Sax
Fashion Stylist Interns: Saya Skarbinski
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Seana Watson, Associate Fashion Editor, PhotoBook Magazine
Studio: Love Studios

Tom Hopper, A Fan Favorite