Why Lady Loki Looks So Familiar
Contains spoilers for "Loki" Episode 2
Disney+'s "Loki" series is officially off to the races in the wake of its buzz-worthy June 9 debut. Hot off the heels of an unplanned escape from the Avengers in 2012, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is now in the custody of the Time Variance Authority, apprehended for his crimes against the Sacred Timeline. His demise seems inevitable at the outset — but the timely intervention of Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) has granted the God of Mischief a chance to redeem himself. Loki has to work with the TVA and help them track down a crafty, deadly Loki variant who's causing chaos across time and space.
"Loki" Episode 2 follows up on this premise, showcasing Loki and Mobius in the field and their varying degrees of success there. Their attempt to stop one of possibly many Loki variants at a 1985 renaissance fair in Oshkosh, Wisconsin completely falls apart, but the main variant Loki hatches a plan to ensure they don't miss out on their target again. According to his research, the dangerous variant is using apocalypse events to hide their tracks, prompting the TVA to haphazardly test this hypothesis by jumping forward in time to hopefully catch them in the act. While this risk pays off, the individual they find leaves them shocked.
In the closing moments of Episode 2, Loki comes face to face with a female version of himself — Lady Loki, portrayed by English actress Sophia Di Martino. She's far from an acting newcomer, so here's where else you may recognize her from.
The Royal Today marked Sophia Di Martino's big break
Born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, Sophia Di Martino is well-read in the performance arts, having studied and excelled at the University of Salford in her younger years. Post-graduation, she started to pop up primarily on television, with her first credit coming in 2004 for the "In at the Deep End" episode of the series "Holby City." This opportunity soon snowballed into a host of other small appearances on shows like "Doctors" and "Heartbeat," before Di Martino wound up as part of the main cast of "The Royal Today" in 2008.
"The Royal Today" was a spin-off of the popular British medical drama "The Royal," and looked to carry on the legacy of its predecessor. Set decades later and focused on a new crew of characters, the program chronicled the experiences of the workers at the fictional St. Aidan's Royal Free Hospital. Di Martino portrayed student nurse Gemma Pennant for 46 of the show's 50 episodes, and was even present for the series finale. "The Royal Today" faced cancellation after a single season, but that didn't keep Di Martino down. Her career would only pick up steam from this point on.
Sophia Di Martino was a regular on Casualty
With "The Royal Today" in her rearview mirror, Sophia Di Martino went back to making brief cameos on TV shows of varying genres. "Spooks: Code 9," "Survivors," and "Ideal" all hosted her for a spell, and Di Martino later scored the role of Josie Scott in the made-for-TV movie "The Road to Coronation Street" in 2010. As a new decade began, a steady job arose in the form of "Casualty," a medial drama centered on Holby City Hospital. Di Martino appeared on the show as Shauna Milsom in 2006, but in 2009, she became the series regular Polly Emmerson.
Under her Polly Emmerson role, Di Martino amassed 82 appearances across her two-year tenure, finally bidding "Casualty" farewell in 2011. She joins a long list of Hollywood mainstays who spent some time on the show, including the likes of Kate Winslet, Minnie Driver, Martin Freeman, Orlando Bloom, and even her "Loki" cast mate Tom Hiddleston (via BBC News), who played Chris Vaughn in the 2007 episode titled "The Killing Floor."
Could this credit on her résumé be her good luck charm as she charts her own course through the entertainment landscape? Time will tell.
Yesterday is Sophia Di Martino's most notable big-screen title to date
Once she wrapped up on "Casualty," Sophia Di Martino stuck around the television world via "Mount Pleasant," "4 O'Clock Club," and "Election Spy." However, as the 2010s wore on, she made the jump to the big screen as a part of Tom Kingsley and Will Sharpe's "Black Pond" in 2011. From then on, Di Martino has landed gigs in projects such as "A Royal Night Out," "Draw on Sweet Night," and "The Darkest Universe." Her biggest cinematic credit to date, however, is 2019's "Yesterday," from director Danny Boyle.
The movie stars Himesh Patel as struggling musician Jack Malik, who gets hit by a bus during a worldwide power surge and becomes one of just three people on Earth (though he initially believe he's the only one) who remembers the Beatles. Di Martino portrayed Carol, one of Jack's buddies, alongside Patel and Lily James, who played Jack's best friend, manager, and eventual love interest Ellie. Though the role wasn't enormous, it gave Di Martino plenty of exposure, seeing as the film grossed just over $153 million and performed well with critics and audiences alike (per Box Office Mojo and Rotten Tomatoes).
It's to be expected that Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will see more of Sophia Di Martino as Lady Loki in the coming "Loki" episodes, which is certainly a good thing. Not only will viewers get to learn extensively about her take on the character, but they'll also be able to witness the incredibly talented and dynamic actress behind the Goddess of Mischief work her magic.