I hate to say it, but Tom Hiddleston would be a terrible spy. It’s just after Monday lunchtime on Sloane Square, and the British actor is already drawing attention. He should be blending in, dressed in a sharp Ralph Lauren suit perfect for West London, his clean-cut looks slightly hidden by a bit of stubble. Even Vogue’s photographer is out of sight, positioned several floors up in a nearby hotel room, snapping the 44-year-old on the street below with a long lens like a sniper. But his fame is such that it only takes minutes—or seconds?—before the first passerby pulls out a phone. To be fair, Hiddleston is posing outdoors at a restaurant table with the stunning Camila Morrone (looking nothing like her hippie breakout role in Daisy Jones & the Six), wrapped in a luxurious coat with a glimpse of candyfloss-pink satin slip dress brightening the dull autumn day. Completing the trio is Babylon star Diego Calva, flown in from Mexico City, whose cheekbones are sharp enough to catch your eye. A crowd gathers. Hiddleston’s cover is completely blown.
However, as Jonathan Pine—the ex-soldier turned hotelier turned MI6 agent—in the BBC’s 2016 adaptation of John le Carré’s The Night Manager, Hiddleston was a completely convincing spy (one of the best since Bond, and he has a Golden Globe to prove it). This January, a decade after the first series that shaped culture and careers, The Night Manager returns for an exciting second season, with Hiddleston back as star and executive producer, alongside Morrone and Calva playing the glamorous international criminals Roxana Bolaños and Teddy dos Santos.
Tom Hiddleston returns as Jonathan Pine, with newcomers Diego Calva and Camila Morrone.
Photo: Scott Trindle
“More scars on the inside, more scars on the outside” is how Hiddleston describes Pine in the 2020s when we talk later in a dimly lit basement speakeasy. Vogue is using it as a base during the shoot, under the Sloane Square Hotel, which was once a hangout for young royals. I can’t see the “outside scars” he mentions—he looks much the same, with thick sandy hair and sparkling blue eyes, though he’s probably tired from the arrival of his second baby with his wife, actress Zawe Ashton just a couple of weeks ago (which might explain his late-afternoon black coffee). “It’s unlike any character I’ve ever played,” he continues, with that endearing earnest charm familiar to talk show hosts and fans. Pine is a role Hiddleston never really left behind. “If someone stops me on the street or I’m at a social event, people always bring up The Night Manager,” he says. “The association is really strong.”
I can believe it. Even if you don’t remember all the twists of the first season, which started in Cairo during the 2011 Arab Spring before moving to the Swiss Alps and then to sun-bleached Mallorca (it looked expensive—and was, costing the BBC £20 million, a lot back then), it’s a show that stuck in everyone’s memory, thanks to its standout performances. Hugh Laurie’s billionaire wannabe-warlord Richard Roper was a master class in wickedness; Tom Hollander was almost terrifying as Corky, his Iago-like sidekick; and Olivia Colman—pre-Oscar—was brilliant as Angela Burr, Pine’s heavily pregnant intelligence officer. The show also had incredible style. Hiddleston wore suits like no one else, but it was then-24-year-old Elizabeth Debicki who brought the glamour, floating around in barely-there gowns and expensive caftans, topped off with her dreamy, priceless blonde haircut. The money in the story might have come from evil sources, but wow,Did it make you want to shop? No surprise that it propelled Debicki to the top of global casting lists. “It’s rare to find that level of sophistication in a TV show,” says new cast member Camila Morrone about the first season.
Morrone surely hopes for a similar impact. “I watch a lot of TV. I love TV,” says the 28-year-old, Los Angeles-born actor from her hotel room after filming. She was still a teenager, not yet acting (“I was practically in the womb,” she jokes), when the first series aired, but she binge-watched all six episodes in one go when she got the chance to audition. “I was supposed to be learning my lines, but instead I was watching the whole series, which ultimately paid off,” she says with a smile. “I was amazed. It’s uncommon to encounter such sophistication in a TV show.”
This sets sky-high expectations for the sequel. “Ignore everything that’s come before” is how new director Georgi Banks-Davies, who won a BAFTA for Sky Atlantic’s I Hate Suzie, has handled the pressure. She knows her work will be compared, which is “why you can’t try to reproduce it,” she explains. “You can’t recreate magic. You just have to follow your instincts. It’s like not wanting to copy a great Picasso because it would look terrible.”
The story picks up ten years later: Roper is gone, at least physically; Burr is said to be retired; and Pine—now using the name Alex Goodwin—is in London, haunted by past events and living alone with a cat. As Hiddleston describes, he’s still “hiding behind a toolkit of manners, politeness, and charm,” working a graveyard shift with MI6’s unglamorous Night Owl Unit, monitoring the city’s top hotels for high-profile criminals. Despite his calm demeanor, Pine is a bomb ready to explode. When an old associate from Roper’s gang reappears, the fuse is lit. He goes undercover again, traveling to Colombia and entering the orbit of Morrone’s mysterious Miami shipping broker, Roxana, and Calva’s Colombian arms dealer, Teddy dos Santos—Roper’s “true disciple.”
A decade on, Pine is still “hiding behind a toolkit of manners, politeness, and charm,” Hiddleston notes.
“You lie to survive, but only the truth can save you” is the tagline 33-year-old Calva would give the show. He pauses, looks around the bar for a pen, and says with a smile, “I should write that down. That’s good.” With dos Santos, Calva is eager to show that he’s “more than just a nasty villain.” “I’m from Mexico, so I’ve played several bad guys in my career,” he says, mentioning roles in drug cartel shows like Narcos: Mexico. “There’s something really cool about playing the bad guy, but it can also border on being offensive.” To avoid stereotypes, he aimed to “bring humanity and vulnerability to Teddy.”
This approach defines the series. From the opening scene, where Pine is in a therapist’s chair, it delves into the characters’ inner lives as much as it revels in high-octane glamour (though there’s plenty of that too). “It’s about PTSD,” says Banks-Davies. “It’s about generational trauma. It’s about all the things that shape us and how they either unite or divide us. The espionage, action, glamour, beauty, and thriller elements take care of themselves, but to truly resonate, you have to dig deeper.”
The show’s writer, David Farr—described by executive producer Stephen Garrett as a “connoisseur of le Carré”—has also returned. Le Carré never allowed new works to be created from his books during his lifetime, but he waived that restriction for this project.John le Carré was thrilled and entertained by the success of The Night Manager and, before his death in 2020, had given his blessing for a sequel to be explored. His sons, Stephen and Simon Cornwell, are both executive producers. Writer David Farr wanted to explore the existential and psychological aspects of being a spy—someone who infiltrates worlds and loses themselves in the process. He believes this theme is increasingly relevant in a morally confusing world where young people feel bewildered, and a character like Pine resonates deeply with that experience.
Tom Hiddleston was excited to revisit the role ten years older in a world that has become stranger, more polarized, and unsettled. He praised John le Carré as an extraordinary analyst of the British psyche and highlighted ongoing debates about patriotism and national character. Hiddleston views nationalism as dangerous, describing it as destructive rather than creative, while defining patriotism as a deeper instinct rooted in basic decency and defending freedoms. He remains optimistic about people’s fundamental goodness but acknowledges the divisive forces at work.
Camila Morrone plays Roxana, a mysterious shipping broker, and Diego Calva portrays Teddy dos Santos, a Colombian arms dealer. This season further blurs the lines between good and bad, especially through Roxana, whose allegiances are unclear from the start. Morrone describes her as a survivor who does whatever it takes to stay safe. To embody Roxana’s steeliness, Morrone chose a glamorous, high-end realtor style with bold fashion choices. She emphasized that Roxana is a proactive player in the male-dominated espionage world, not a helpless romantic or victim, and stands as an equal to powerful men.
The series inevitably evokes a Bond-like atmosphere, from wardrobe to locations. Producer Stephen Garrett noted that critics once called it le Carré’s closest work to Ian Fleming’s, though le Carré may not have appreciated the comparison. Hiddleston, long rumored as a potential Bond, declined to address the speculation, stating it’s beyond his control. Meanwhile, director Georgi Banks-Davies expressed her interest in being the first woman to direct a Bond film.
As evening fell on Sloane Square, Calva left for the airport back to Mexico, and Morrone headed to Prague to film an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence. Morrone seeks roles that feel entirely different from her previous work, both physically and emotionally.Hiddleston, however, has more to say. “I really connect with Pine’s burning passion and his curiosity to understand,” he explains from his hotel room, sitting perilously close to an open window as the cold night air rustles the curtains. “In the short time I have on this planet, I want to truly grasp what it means to be alive. He’s like the seasoned dragon slayer who catches a whiff of smoke and feels compelled to follow it.”
Styling by Ola Ebiti.
The new season of The Night Manager premieres on Prime Video in January 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the cast and the exciting comeback of The Night Manager
General Beginner Questions
Q What is The Night Manager about
A Its a spy thriller about a former British soldier Jonathan Pine who infiltrates the inner circle of a dangerous arms dealer to bring him down
Q Who are the main actors in the show
A The main cast includes Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine Hugh Laurie as arms dealer Richard Roper and Olivia Colman as intelligence operative Angela Burr
Q Is there going to be a Season 2
A Yes A second season has been officially confirmed which is the exciting comeback everyone is discussing
Q Why is the comeback so exciting for fans
A The first season was a massive critical and fan hit but it aired back in 2016 After such a long wait the announcement of a new season has generated a lot of anticipation
Advanced Detailed Questions
Q Will the original cast return for Season 2
A Tom Hiddleston and Olivia Colman are confirmed to return Hugh Lauries characters story was largely resolved in Season 1 so his return is considered unlikely
Q What was the source material for the first season
A The first season was based on the 1993 novel of the same name by renowned spy author John le Carré
Q Is Season 2 based on another John le Carré book
A No Season 2 will feature an original story not directly taken from a le Carré novel which makes it even more unpredictable
Q What are some common praises for the casts performances
A Hugh Laurie was widely praised for his chilling portrayal of the charismatic villain Richard Roper Tom Hiddleston was lauded for his suave and complex performance and Olivia Colman brought a grounded determined energy to her role
Q When can we expect Season 2 to be released
A An official release date hasnt been announced yet Filming is expected to begin in 2024 so a release likely wont be until 2025
Q Will the story continue from Season 1 or is it a new plot
A Its expected to be a continuation