The Marvel Cinematic Universe referenced Kingsport in episode one of the Loki series. But how did the Model City make its way into the show?
KINGSPORT — Kingsport, Tennessee. The Model City. My hometown is now officially part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Pretty awesome I must say.
How Kingsport made its way into the MCU is with an Easter egg found in episode one of “Loki” — Disney Plus’ most recent live- action series on the God of Mischief and his adventures following the events of “Avengers Endgame.”
I’m not going to explain the entire backstory of the series (for that you’ll have to watch all six episodes), but in episode one, Sylvie (a Loki variant) attacks the Sacred Timeline by setting off a bunch of reset grenades in various locations throughout the multiverse, including Vormir, Asgard, Hala and Xandar. A couple of other locations shown on a monitor include two Tennessee cities: Cookeville and Kingsport.
As to how those cities made their way into the show, I think I’ve got the answer to that question. Maybe. Possibly. There’s a better than 50% chance I do.
In the first episode of ‘Loki,’ the name ‘Kingsport’ can be seen on one of the computer monitors. But how did it make its way into the show?
Turns out one of the actors on the show hails from Kingsport, and I recently had the opportunity to talk to him about his appearance on “Loki.” His name is Eric Jepson. Born in Iowa and raised in Tennessee, Jepson went to Sullivan Central High School, Middle Tennessee State, and after schooling moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting.
He spent a couple of years living in the City of Angels, booked some credits here and there (“Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Nashville” and “Lovecraft Country”), but then the industry brought him to Atlanta, which is where he’s been for the past three years.
“I auditioned for (‘Loki’) just like any other audition. I came in and didn’t really know what I was auditioning for at the time. I did know several (Marvel) shows were coming through Atlanta,” Jepson said. “Originally I thought I was auditioning for ‘WandaVision.’ The script didn’t have character names and they wrote a script that actually wasn’t going to be in the show. They just wrote it to watch you play this character.”
Jepson didn’t hear from the studio for about two months, but then one day he got the call about the part. Filming took place at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta and Jepson played a Minuteman in episode one — the TVA officer who pruned a guy in the lobby with Tom Hiddleston watching.
Marvel Studios is extremely protective of its movies and shows and goes to great lengths to keep any information — not just spoilers — from leaking out. Jepson had to sign three non-disclosure agreements before he filmed his scene, and he didn’t even see his script until a few hours before filming.
“I started seeing some of the costumes and once I started emailing production back and forth on logistics, I started to connect the dots. A couple of weeks out I figured out (I was in ‘Loki’),” Jepson said. “Every time we walked out of our trailer to set, they had us cover our costume up with these big robes. They try and tie up all of their loose ends as much as they can and go from there.”
So how did Kingsport make its way into the show? I asked Jepson that very question. Here’s his answer.
“That had nothing to do with me,” Jepson explained. “The only thing I can think of is my phone number has a Kingsport area code and maybe they knew I was from Kingsport.”
At any rate, between Kingsport and Cookeville being mentioned in “Loki,” East Tennessee was represented well in the series. And if you’re wondering why it took so long for me to interview Jepson, that’s a Marvel thing. He wasn’t allowed to speak to me until after the series ended and only after getting permission from the studio, his agent and probably a room full of lawyers.
Thankfully, everyone signed off on the interview, and I had a chance to chat with Jepson about his time on “Loki,” whether he is a Marvel fan and what’s next on his acting palette.
“I’m a huge Marvel fan. Who hasn’t watched every single Marvel movie? It was surreal being in that moment, being able to work with (Tom Hiddleston), but at the same time, I’m an actor, hired to do a job and at the end of the day you’re showing up and going to work,” Jepson said. “Your geek-out moment only lasts a few minutes and then you’ve got to get it together.”
Jepson said he would love to work on future Marvel projects, pointing out that his character is still technically alive within the MCU. Until then, he’s in this gray area of success, he says, which is where he wants to be in this stage of his career.
“I can’t legally talk about it, but I’m at place where I’m starting to get bigger auditions and bigger projects ... the final rounds of booking bigger roles and projects,” Jepson said. “It’s a rung on the ladder where you want to be. It’s not a matter of if you get the part, but a matter of when.”
Congratulations, Eric, and let’s hope that ladder includes a rung set aside for “Loki” season two.