Top 5 Things You Didn't Know About Tom Hardy
He's a Hollywood tough guy with a heart of gold. Welcome to WatchMojo UK and today we'll be counting down our picks for the top 5 things you may not have known about Tom Hardy!
For this list, we've gathered the finest facts about one of Britain's most exciting actors, and ranked all the info for all your trivia needs.
Special thanks to our user WordToTheWes for submitting the idea on our interactive suggestion tool: WatchMojo.comsuggest
#5: He Likes to Be the Baddie
Who’d be a hero when you can be Bane? Or Shinzon? Or the Krays, or Alfie Solomons? Hardy’s characters often veer towards villainy, and that’s just the way he likes it. Good guy roles can be a tad too tedious according to the London-born actor, who’s also in line to scrap with Spidey as Venom. Famous for flitting between the charismatic and the cold-blooded, Hardy has been praised for his unnerving performances. Hero parts could be on the horizon, though. Hugh Jackman has tipped Tom to resurrect Wolverine (although that protagonist has his flaws), and Hardy’s name is routinely linked to James Bond.
#4: He’s a Dedicated Chap
This guy goes the extra mile with character prep, putting his body through the proverbial wringer on multiple occasions. For 2008’s “Bronson” he gained around three stone in five weeks. For “Mad Max”, he lost 30lbs through intense training and dramatic dietary changes. To get in shape for 2015’s “Legend” he trained as a boxer with Manny Pacquiao’s coach, and to become Bane he stacked 30lbs of muscle and wore three-inch heels throughout filming! And lest we forget “Warrior”, which saw Hardy get super-shredded, in 2011. So, next time you’re thinking of skipping the gym, ask yourself this; what would Tom do?
#3: He Has Overcome Addiction
Hardy hasn’t always been as focussed on his film career, though. Up until 2003, when Tom was in his mid-twenties, the actor was addicted to drugs and alcohol. Since establishing himself as a global star he has spoken openly about his past struggles, but also says that large parts of his younger years are a blackout. Clearly, Hardy has turned his life around (and then some!), and the actor has said he draws on past experiences for plenty of his roles[1]. When he’s not making hit movies he’s working hard with charities, including The Prince’s Trust, to help youngsters achieve their ambitions[2].
#2: He Might’ve Been a Model
Heading even further back into Tom’s past, we wind up on a staple of Channel 4 in the ‘90s, “The Big Breakfast”. A career-defining show for the likes of Chris Evans, Johnny Vaughan and Denise van Outen, Hardy was 21 when he won “Find Me a Supermodel”, in 1998. And just look at those locks! The actor cut a very different figure back then, strolling down a makeshift runway to win a cash prize and a short-term modelling contract. It’s a long way from here to Hollywood, but this was Hardy’s first taste of TV.
#1: He Has Friends in High Places
While some reports say that Hardy can be tricky to work with, mostly because he’s bloody intense, Tom has a long list of famous friends. He counts Christopher Nolan, Leo DiCaprio, and Benedict Cumberbatch as buddies, and he worked with his idol Gary Oldman on “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”. He also went to drama school with Michael Fassbender, who Hardy says was top of the class. Tom’s big break actually came alongside Fassbender, when the pair were cast in 2001’s “Band of Brothers”. Shortly afterwards he scored an explosive cameo in “Black Hawk Down”, and the rest is history.