Tom Hiddleston Will Play Henry V in Separate Richard Eyre, Thea Sharrock Films

Actor Tom Hiddleston is set to play the same role three times - in three separate films under two directors.

Hiddleston has been tapped to play a young Hal in both parts of Richard Eyre's adaptation for BBC TV of Henry IV. Then he's slated to tackle the same role, this time as King Henry V in Thea Sharrock's BBC film.

"I play him as Hal in the Henry IV films, when he's a rebellious drunkard - the equivalent of a party animal today: a young man who won't take responsibility for his actions," Hiddleston told The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye. "Then, in Henry V, he's grown into the warrior king who leads his troops into battle at Agincourt. It’s as if I’ve been preparing to play Henry for a while. Anyone familiar with the plays will know that I need to ride a horse. I battle wits with my father, and know something about war."

Hiddleston had leading roles in Declan Donnellan's company Cheek by Jowl's productions The Changeling (in which he played Alsemero and for which he received an Ian Charleson Awards 2007 Nomenation), and Cymbeline (Posthumus Leonatus & Cloten), for which he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer 2008, notably being up against himself in the same category for his portrayal of Cassio in the Donmar Warehouse Othello.

His Donmar Warehouse credits include Cassio in Michael Grandage's production of Shakespeare's Othello alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ewan McGregor, and later Lvov in their West End revival of Chekhov's Ivanov.

His TV credits include Magnus Martinsson in the BBC detective drama Wallander, Bill Hazledine in Suburban Shootout, John Plumptre in the BBC costume drama TV film Miss Austen Regrets and William Buxton in the Christmas edition of BBC costume drama series Cranford.

All three movies are set to air next year.