Although 007 seems to be off the table for the moment, Tom Hiddleston will take on the title role in Hamlet—possibly the broodiest of the Shakespearian royals—in London starting September 1. Surely there's a pun in there somewhere. Hiddleham? Hidlet? No...Hamleston.
But wait a second...isn't another Internet Boyfriend™ currently starring as the angsty Prince of Denmark right now? Yes, that's right: Oscar Isaac is right in the middle of his summer run off-Broadway.
Seems like something's not so rotten in Denmark.
Hiddleston and Isaac are not the only internet faves who've been cast in the Bard's longest play. Many actors have "to be or not to be'd" in our time (hello, Jude Law), of course, but recent castings have had a delightful focus on the men who fill our hearts (and social media feeds) with joy and fan fiction.
Original Internet Boyfriend (and Hiddleston bestie) Benedict Cumberbatch's 2015 production of Hamlet sold out in minutes, and became so overrun with rowdy, self-described Cumberbitches that the Sherlock actor had to personally remind fans not to film or take photos during his performance.
Ben Whishaw, whom you might know as the current Q to Daniel Craig's Bond, also played our boy Ham at just 23.
And surely no fangirl can ignore the Tenth Doctor's Shakespearean stint. David Tennant starred in a TV adaptation back in 2009 opposite another former Hamlet, Sir Patrick Stewart (who took on King Claudius for the production).
So, who's next? Idris Elba? John Boyega? Personally, I think Riz Ahmed will be the next Ham off the rank; it looks like the Rogue One, The Night Of, and Time 100 member is also itching for a shot at holding that skull.
Well, as they say, "To thine own self be true." You do you, Riz.
