Tom Hiddleston Stars in National Geographic’s “Pompeii: Out of Time”

** streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. The program follows the actor as a self-described “amateur classicist” who travels between the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum and their modern sites, meeting dramatized ancient Romans and examining how the city’s residents may have lived and responded to the A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

New York Times

The series builds on Hiddleston’s long-standing interest in antiquity. He began studying Latin and Greek as a youth and has cited a love for the works of Homer, Virgil, Euripides, and Sophocles. In a recent interview at London’s Soho Hotel, the 45-year-old actor recited a line of ancient Greek, underscoring the personal passion that informs the documentary’s narrative approach.

New York Times

During the interview, Hiddleston explained that the series allows him to merge his acting career with his scholarly enthusiasm, positioning himself as a “time-travel detective” who explores both the archaeological record and the human stories behind it. The program’s producers describe the format as a blend of on-location investigation, dramatized reenactments, and expert commentary, aiming to make the ancient catastrophe accessible to a broad streaming audience.

New York Times

• “I loved Homer and Virgil and Euripides and Sophocles,” — Time With Tom Hiddleston — Tom Hiddleston, interview with The New York Times

New York Times

The documentary’s release adds a high-profile cultural offering to National Geographic’s 2026 slate, inviting viewers to experience the final hours of Pompeii through the lens of a Hollywood actor with genuine scholarly curiosity.

New York Times