South Sudan visit helped me in Night Manager role, says Tom Hiddleston 

South Sudan visit helped me in Night Manager role, says Tom Hiddleston

Tom Hiddleston used anger fuelled by a visit to war-torn South Sudan to help him in his role as spy Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager, he has revealed.

Tom Hiddleston was interviewed by friend and fellow actor Benedict Cumberbatch

The London-born actor visited the African country to make a documentary on child soldiers a week before filming began for the BBC drama, which aired earlier this year.

Hiddleston admitted he felt "powerless" and "helpless" during his trip in an interview with friend and fellow actor Benedict Cumberbatch in Interview Magazine.

He said: "There is so much poverty and desperation in South Sudan, and yet each side is militarily equipped."

Hiddleston, who recently split with singer Taylor Swift after a whirlwind three-month relationship, said when visiting South Sudan he "witnessed first hand, the violence from which a man like Richard Roper in The Night Manager profits".

The Night Manager, based on John le Carre\'s 1993 novel of the same name, starred Hugh Laurie as arms dealer Roper.

The lengthy interview featured just a passing mention of Swift as Cumberbatch refused to quiz his friend on his former girlfriend.

Cumberbatch said: "Without getting into a huge debate, I just want to say that I\'m not going to ask questions about my friend\'s personal life just because there are unsolicited photographs of him and a certain someone, in a relationship or together. I\'m not going to get into that. So that door is closed, dear reader."

The actor chuckled and thanked Cumberbatch, according to the interview transcript.

Hiddleston said after returning from the African nation he had dinner with Le Carre and described his anger and helplessness at the situation.

"Le Carre leaned forward and just said, \'use it, use it\'," recalled Hiddleston.

Cumberbatch and Hiddleston agreed that using their fame as a platform to stand up for people across the world was important.

"We\'re not UNICEF volunteers or staff in refugee camps. We\'re not policemen or politicians." Cumberbatch said.

"But, I suppose, after a certain amount of involvement or research or an affiliation with something, we can make a spotlight shine on people who do do that work, like the people who work for UNICEF on the ground. And that is doing a good thing."

He added: "I\'d much rather be criticised for that than be silent in the face of such extraordinary suffering, which is painfully obvious to all. Whether it be in Syria or in Sudan."

Hiddleston replied: "Having seen what I\'ve seen in South Sudan, there\'s no way I can\'t talk about it."

Will.i.am, iPhone and VR headset HTC Vive triumph at T3 magazine\'s tech awards 

Will.i.am has been crowned tech personality of the year at the 10th annual T3 magazine awards, which saw the Apple iPhone named as gadget of the decade.

Will.i.am warns of \'cruel joke\' if Donald Trump wins White House race 

Will.i.am has said the prospect of Donald Trump being elected as US president felt like a "cruel joke" to Americans looking for leadership following a series of high-profile shootings.

What\'s New Pussycat? - Sir Tom Jones returns to The Voice UK 

Sir Tom Jones will return to The Voice UK when the show makes its debut on ITV after he previously slammed the BBC for firing him from the line-up in 2015.

Baker leaves the tent after failure to blossom in floral challenge 

Rav Bansal has admitted he felt like a "cat that was running out of lives" as he became the sixth contestant to exit The Great British Bake Off.

Newry Apprentice hopeful Grainne counting on Sugar to help her bank first £1m  News

Queen\'s crash out of University Challenge buckling under pressure during David Bowie round  News

Meet the Northern Ireland woman looking to get hired on BBC\'s Apprentice  News

Coronation Street facing Ofcom probe after \'roots\' comment sparks racism claims  News

Katy Perry shares nude snap as she plans to vote naked  News

Sir Cliff Richard\'s 101st album to feature Elvis Presley \'duet\'  News

Invasion of giant house spiders in Northern Ireland but fear not they\'re...  Northern Ireland

Belfast loyalist Stitt\'s ice cream shop sex shame  Sunday Life

Belfast girl Connla (6) in constant pain waiting for dental surgery  Northern Ireland

Video: Dolphins make a splash at Giant\'s Causeway  Video News

Nothing shocking over Civil Service sickness

Former police chief\'s views on cannabis wrong and risky

Queen\'s crash out of University Challenge buckling under pressure during David Bowie round

God bless America... it\'s going to need it with one of these two at the helm

Northern Ireland nightlife: Limelight for Sketchy, September 2016 

Northern Ireland nightlife: Bot Wednesdays, Sept 21 2016 

Belfast Tesco shopper took apples but paid for carrots 

Belfast bus lane driver fined over £4,000 has yet to pay a single penny 

Woman\'s terror as Belfast flight struck by lightning 

Protests as Catholic priest installed at Belfast Cathedral 

Michaela\'s widow John McAreavey marries fiancée who showed him \'beauty of life again\' 

Hubble spots \'water vapour plumes\' erupting from Jupiter\'s moon Europa 

Son\'s gin tribute to Soho porn king with Antrim roots 

iPhone 7 users drill hole in phones to \'access headphone jack\' 

Revealed: Which Civil Service dept has worst sickness levels? 

Video: Brave Belfast mum Aundrea Bannatyne vows to beat terminal cancer 

Ulster beauty spots Autumn 2016 - readers\' pics 

Live Premier League live: Man U v Leicester, Liverpool v Hull, Arsenal v Chelsea 

Topical and political cartoons from Belfast Telegraph