What a Marvel! Thor’s star power stops a city

TWO of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, are filming their latest blockbuster - and Brisbane can’t get enough.

Fiona Purdon and Amy Price

2 min read

August 23, 2016 - 7:26AM

Confidential

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TWO of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, are filming their latest blockbuster - and Brisbane can’t get enough.

The Courier-Mail received exclusive behind-the-scenes access to yesterday’s filming of scenes for the Marvel shoot of Thor: Ragnarok.

The city was transformed into New York as American taxi cabs and school buses queued up on the Margaret and Albert street intersection, with filming shutting down the CBD.

Excited fans went into a frenzy when Hemsworth and Hiddleston, who were in costume as Thor and his brother Loki, walked the streets during a break in filming.

The Australian star of Thor, now based in Byron Bay, stopped in on a media interview with Kiwi director Taika Waititi and said it was “fantastic to be in Brisbane” which “looked very much like New York”.

He then said “Sorry mate” to the director and returned to hand out more gifts to his screaming fans.

Actors Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston with director Taika Waititi (in hat) on the set of Thor in Brisbane's CBD. Picture: Jack Tran

Waititi joked that Hemsworth and co-star Hiddleston “are very difficult to deal with; they are just like tall muscular children”.

Far from the villain he plays in the film, nice guy Hiddleston, who is currently dating pop star Taylor Swift, spent more than half an hour with fans – handing out merchandise, signing autographs and posing for selfies.

“I wanted to come out and say thanks because we have shut down their city centre and business district,’’ Hiddleston said. “The fans have been really patient and well-behaved while we were filming and we appreciate this. We have received nothing but great hospitality so I just wanted to come out and say ‘hi’. It’s not every day people get to meet Loki in their city.’’

Having filmed Kong: Skull Island on the Gold Coast earlier this year – the British actor said he was enjoying his return trip to Queensland.

“By the end of 2016 I will have spent more time in Queensland than anywhere else in the world ... and it is a great place to be,’’ he said.

Brisbane folk gathered en-masse to watch the spectacle. Picture: Peter Wallis

One of the actors playing “Thor fans’’ in the scene with Hemsworth and Hiddleston, was Hemsworth’s second cousin Taylor Hemsworth, 23, from Melbourne.

She secured the part following an interstate video audition before telling the Hemsworth clan, including Chris’ family, of her success.

Thank you Brisbane for letting us disrupt the traffic for our little film #ThorRagnarok in your beautiful city!!! pic.twitter.com/N9wDqBacL2
â€” Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) August 22, 2016

Thor executive producer Brad Winderbaum said Marvel chose the state to film the movie because of Queensland’s sensational locations, Hemsworth’s passionate pitch and Australia’s attractive government incentives. He said the production would soon move to locations such as Mt Tamborine and Cedar Creek in the Gold Coast’s hinterland. The film is expected to be released in cinemas in November 2017.

Filming will move to Mary St and Esk Lane today and it will be a closed set.