Tessa Thompson Delights London with Tales of Thor, Vulnerability, and Reinventing Hedda

At the BFI London Film Festival, Thompson reflects on the joy and fear in her blockbuster and indie work—praised Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth’s playful energy, and discusses her daring lead in Nia DaCosta’s bold reimagining of Hedda Gabler.

From Marvel’s cosmic playground to Nia DaCosta’s daring reimagining of Hedda Gabler, Thompson opens up about creative fear, playful filmmaking, and putting women of color at the center of complex stories.

At the 2025 BFI London Film Festival, Tessa Thompson captivated audiences during a lively Screen Talk session that spanned her journey from indie darlings to Marvel blockbusters. The actor, known worldwide as Valkyrie from Thor: Ragnarok and Love and Thunder, charmed the crowd with her wit and candor while discussing her latest project, Nia DaCosta’s Hedda — a modern, genre-bending adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler.

Reflecting on her time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thompson described Taika Waititi as “a huge infant — like an infant with a bank account,” jokingly adding that “he should be stopped” for his wild, imaginative energy on set. She also praised her longtime co-star Chris Hemsworth, calling him “a baby with muscles” who brings fearless creativity and humor to every scene. “Making those movies feels like being a kid again,” she said. “You have to surrender to pure imagination — that’s where the magic comes from.”

Thompson revealed that joining Marvel was an experiment in self-discovery. “I wanted to do something that scared me,” she admitted. “I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off, but it turned out to be one of the most freeing experiences of my career.”

Switching gears to Hedda, Thompson shared her excitement about portraying one of literature’s most complex women — a role rarely offered to women of color. Produced under her company Viva Maude, the film marks another collaboration with DaCosta after their earlier partnership on Little Woods. “I love doing things that terrify me,” Thompson said. “I don’t think I’d have been cast as Hedda without a filmmaker like Nia, who’s committed to putting people like me at the center of the frame.”

She described DaCosta’s take on Ibsen as vibrant and accessible: “It feels buoyant and delicious — not stiff or academic. We wanted audiences to rediscover Ibsen in a way that feels sexy and alive.”

The conversation also revisited Thompson’s breakout turn in Ryan Coogler’s Creed, where she and Michael B. Jordan improvised much of their dialogue. “Ryan had this independent spirit even within a big studio film,” she recalled. “He’d send us voice notes that became part of the script.”

Though she confessed she’s still uneasy watching herself on screen — “I used to squint through premieres,” she laughed — Thompson said producing has helped her gain perspective. She also spoke about her reliance on the Meisner technique, emphasizing that “words are overrated — silence can reveal more about a character than dialogue ever could.”

From her fearless approach to acting to her advocacy for inclusive storytelling, Thompson’s BFI appearance underscored why she remains one of Hollywood’s most dynamic and thoughtful performers — equally at home wielding a sword in Asgard or redefining a classic heroine for a new generation.