From the outside, one would think that joining something like the MCU would change an actor’s life quite drastically. Just think back to when Phase 1 made household names of Thor players like Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. So when I got to speak with Loki actor Sophia Di Martino I was very curious about how much her life had changed after joining the ranks of one of the best Disney+ TV shows.
Strangely enough, it doesn’t seem to have altered her day-to-day all that much. I even see it as a kind of win-win, as Ms. Di Martino has been able to do things like get closer to her fans without too many of the downsides. And her story of meeting a cache of Sylvie devotees is so beautiful, that it makes my geek heart want to burst.
As we sat down via a virtual interview to support Loki Season 2’s Emmy campaign, everything that time, space, and the Marvel Studios brass would allow was discussed. Approaching the subject of how this experience may have changed Sophia’s life, she told CinemaBlend about that fan encounter, as follows:
There's a bunch of girls who all met online who are like Sylvie fans, who all write to each other. They're all over the world and they have this little collective that, and they've all become friends and all, they're just super sweet to each other, and a little bit cheeky. I like those guys. … They're so sweet to each other. I love saying that.
I guess the reason this Loki-related revelation hits so hard, at least for me, is because it’s a perfect example of finding your people. At its best, fandom can be a great equalizer, which gives a group a common thread to bond over. I continue to have those sorts of experiences myself, and as a fan of Sylvie’s antics through both seasons of this series, I can see the appeal this character’s stans hold so valuable.
I can also see how Loki topped our rankings of the best Marvel TV shows, as characters like the one played by Sophia Di Martino never get lost in a very complex and plot-driven narrative. That’s something that was especially important coming out of Loki’s Season 2 finale, which gave us a rather heroic dose of heartbreak, while also giving Sophia room for hot takes on Sylvie’s post-finale intentions.
Di Martino was prompted to discuss these ladies who Loki after I’d asked for specific examples of fans she’d considered as especially cool in her travels. However, I was impressed by this other admission that she made when talking about her life in the somewhat public eye:
I mean, I get to meet some cool fans occasionally when I go to Comic-Cons and things. That's quite fun. I don't get recognized in the street. I'm so lucky in a way that I can just sort of go about my normal life with my family. And I get to meet some cool people who enjoy the show.
Now either Loki is a particularly niche corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or people don’t recognize Sophia Di Martino without her cool armor, headdress, or in some cases a retro McDonald’s uniform. That last outfit seemed to stem from some fun internet chatter, as Sophia’s comments about how Sylvie might handle a potential Loki reunion suggested such an occurrence.
In either case, Di Martino seems to have found a sweet spot in life. With Sylvie definitely being a fan-favorite character from this Disney+ subscription driver, there’s absolutely a fan base that’s made its appreciation known. But at the same time, not having to worry about paparazzi trying to snap pictures of her or her family is also pretty nice. Though considering she is a charming Trickster God, I wouldn’t put it past her to also have some clever disguise skills up her sleeve.
Though it seems like Loki may have wrapped its story in two seasons, there’s always the opportunity for upcoming Marvel TV shows to bring Sylvie into the fold yet again. While Sophia Di Martino doesn’t seem to have any inside track on what sort of developments could be in the works, it would certainly be welcomed news to hear that even a simple conversation was taking place on the matter. Until then, we’ll always have both seasons of the stellar Loki, which is currently available to stream in its entirety through Disney+.
