Tom Hardy

For other people of the same name, see Thomas Hardy (disambiguation).
Tom Hardy

Hardy in April 2014.
Born Edward Thomas Hardy
15 September 1977
Hammersmith, London, England
Alma mater Richmond Drama School
Occupation Actor
Years active 2001–present
Spouse(s) Sarah Ward
(1999–2004)
Charlotte Riley
(2014–present)
Children 1

Edward Thomas "Tom" Hardy[1] (born 15 September 1977)[2] is an English actor. Hardy made his feature film debut in the war film Black Hawk Down in 2001. His other notable films include the science fiction film Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), the crime film, RocknRolla (2008), the biographical psychological drama Bronson (2008), the science fiction thriller Inception (2010), the sports drama Warrior (2011), the Cold War espionage film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), the superhero film The Dark Knight Rises (2012), the crime drama Lawless (2012) and the drama Locke (2013).

Hardy's television roles include the HBO war drama TV miniseries Band of Brothers (2001), the BBC historical drama miniseries The Virgin Queen (2005), ITV's Wuthering Heights (2008) and the drama series The Take (2009).

Hardy has also performed as a theatre actor on British and American stages. He was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer for his role as Skank in the 2003 production of In Arabia We'd All Be Kings and was awarded the 2003 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for his performances in both In Arabia We'd All be Kings and for his role as Luca in Blood. He starred in the 2007 production of The Man of Mode and received positive reviews for his role in the 2010 Philip Seymour Hoffman-directed play The Long Red Road.

Early years

Hardy was born in Hammersmith, London,[3] the only child of Anne (née Barrett) and Edward "Chips" Hardy.[4] He was brought up in East Sheen.[5] His mother is an artist and painter whose family was of Irish descent,[6] and his father is a writer of comedy and novels.[7][8] Hardy studied at Reed's School and Tower House School, then at Richmond Drama School, and subsequently at the Drama Centre London.

Career

1998–2009

Hardy at the London premiere of Inception in 2010

In 1998, Hardy won The Big Breakfast‍‍ '​‍s Find Me a Supermodel competition at age 21 (and with it a brief contract with Models One). Hardy joined Drama Centre London in September 1998, and was taken out early after winning the part of US Army Private John Janovec in the award-winning HBO-BBC miniseries Band of Brothers. He made his feature film debut in Ridley Scott's 2001 war thriller Black Hawk Down. In 2003, Hardy appeared in the film dot the i, and then travelled to North Africa for Simon: An English Legionnaire, a story of the French Foreign Legion. In the same year, he gained some heavy international exposure as the Reman Praetor Shinzon, a clone of USS Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek Nemesis. He then returned to England to feature in the 2003 film LD 50 Lethal Dose.

Hardy was awarded the 2003 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performances in Blood and In Arabia We'd All Be Kings performed at the Royal Court Theatre and Hampstead Theatre. He was also nominated for a 2004 Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer of 2003 in a Society of London Theatre Affiliate for his performance as Skank in the aforementioned production of In Arabia We'd All Be Kings. Hardy appeared in the 2005 BBC miniseries The Virgin Queen as Robert Dudley, a childhood friend of Elizabeth I. The miniseries portrays them as having a platonic, though highly romantic, affair throughout her reign over England during the 16th century. Hardy featured in the BBC Four adaptation of the 1960s sci-fi series A for Andromeda.

In 2007, he appeared in the BBC Two drama based on a true story, Stuart: A Life Backwards. He played the lead role of Stuart Shorter, a homeless man who had been subjected to years of abuse and whose death was possibly suicide. In February 2008, he played a drug-addicted rapist in the British horror-thriller WΔZ. In September 2008, he appeared in Guy Ritchie's London gangster film, RocknRolla. He played the role of gay gangster Handsome Bob. Though a sequel to RocknRolla titled the "The Real RocknRolla" has been rumoured to be in production, in which Hardy will reprise the role of Handsome Bob, filming has yet to commence on the project. In early 2009, Hardy starred in the film Bronson, about the real-life English prisoner Charles Bronson, who has spent most of his adult life in solitary confinement. For the film, he put on three stone (19 kg/42 pounds).[9]

In June 2009, Hardy starred in the Martina Cole written four-part TV drama The Take on Sky One as a drugs and alcohol fuelled gangster. The role gained him a Best Actor nomination at the 2009 Crime Thriller Awards.[10] In August 2009, he appeared in ITV's Wuthering Heights, playing the part of Heathcliff, the classic love character who falls in love with his childhood friend Cathy.

2010–present

Hardy at the London Premiere of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. September 2011.

In early 2010, Hardy starred in The Long Red Road at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.[11] The play was written by Brett C. Leonard and directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Hardy won some good reviews for his portrayal of Sam, an alcoholic trying to drink away his past.[12][13] In 2010, he starred as Eames in Christopher Nolan's science fiction thriller Inception for which he won a BAFTA Rising Star award. In June 2010, Hardy announced on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross that he will play the title role in a new version of Mad Max.[14] Hardy replaced Michael Fassbender in the 2011 adaptation of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,[15] released on 5 September 2011 at the 68th edition of the Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica in Venice.

Hardy at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival

Hardy starred as Tommy Riordan in the film Warrior, who is trained by his father to fight in a mixed martial arts tournament against his brother, for which he gained critical acclaim. It was released on 9 September 2011 by Lionsgate Films. Hardy also starred in This Means War, a 2012 romantic comedy film directed by McG. He played the villain Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, the final film in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, released on 20 July 2012.[16] He played a bootlegger in John Hillcoat's Lawless (2012).[17] He stated in January 2012 that he had been watching gangster films in preparation for his role as Al Capone in David Yates' Cicero trilogy, which is expected to begin filming in 2013.[18] In March 2010, Hardy signed a first look deal at Warner Bros.[19] Hardy has signed up to play the lead role of Sam Fisher in Ubisoft's upcoming film adaptation of their video game series Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell.[20][21] He has also appeared in Riz Mc's music video for the song "Sour Times". He is also scheduled to portray Elton John in a biopic, Rocketman, that will start shooting in late 2014.[22]

Personal life

Hardy married Sarah Ward in 1999, but the marriage ended in divorce in 2004. He has a son, Louis Thomas (born 2008),[23] with ex-girlfriend Rachael Speed.[24] In 2008, he began a relationship with actress Charlotte Riley, whom he met on the set of The Take and Wuthering Heights. The couple became engaged in 2010 and married in July 2014.[25][26] They have two dogs, both rescues, one of which Hardy appeared with in a PETA ad promoting pet adoption.[27]

In 2008, when asked by Attitude magazine if he had had sexual relations with men, Hardy stated, "As a boy? Of course I have. I'm an actor for fuck's sake. I'm an artist. I've played with everything and everyone. But I'm not into men sexually. I love the form and the physicality but the gay sex bit does nothing for me. To me it just doesn't compute now I'm into my 30s and it doesn't do it for me and I'm done experimenting."[28][29]

Hardy battled addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine in his early-to-mid-20s. He entered rehab and has been sober since 2003.[30]

Hardy was named one of GQ's 50 best dressed British men in 2015.[31]

He has named Gary Oldman as his "absolute complete and utter hero"[32] and "the greatest actor that's ever lived".[33]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Black Hawk Down Spc. Lance Twombly Credited as Thomas Hardy
2002 Star Trek: Nemesis Shinzon
2003 Reckoning, TheThe Reckoning Straw
2003 dot the i Tom
2003 LD 50 Lethal Dose Matt
2004 Layer Cake Clarkie
2005 Gideon's Daughter Andrew Television film
2006 A for Andromeda John Fleming
2006 Minotaur Theo
2006 Marie Antoinette Raumont
2006 Scenes of a Sexual Nature Noel
2006 Sweeney Todd Matthew Television film
2007 Flood Zack
2007 WΔZ Pierre Jackson
2007 Stuart: A Life Backwards Stuart Shorter
2007 Inheritance, TheThe Inheritance Dad Short film
2008 Sucker Punch Rodders
2008 RocknRolla Handsome Bob
2008 Bronson Charles Bronson/Michael Peterson
2009 Thick as Thieves Det. Michaels
2010 Inception Eames
2011 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Ricki Tarr
2011 Warrior Tommy Riordan Conlon
2012 This Means War Tuck Hansen
2012 Dark Knight Rises, TheThe Dark Knight Rises Bane
2012 Lawless Forrest Bondurant
2013 Locke Ivan Locke
2014 The Drop Bob Saginowski
2015 Child 44 Leo Demidov
2015 Mad Max: Fury Road Max Rockatansky
2015 London Road Mark
2015 Legend Ronald Kray / Reginald Kray
2015 The Revenant John Fitzgerald

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Band of Brothers Pfc. John Janovec 2 episodes
2005 Colditz 2nd Lt. Jack Rose 2 episodes
2005 Virgin Queen, TheThe Virgin Queen Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester 4 episodes
2007 Cape Wrath Jack Donnelly 5 episodes
2007 Oliver Twist Bill Sikes 5 episodes
2008 Wuthering Heights Heathcliff 2 episodes
2009 Take, TheThe Take Freddie 4 episodes
2013 Aquabats! Super Show!, TheThe Aquabats! Super Show! Silver Skull Voice
Episode: "Anti-bats"
2014 Peaky Blinders Alfie Solomons 5 episodes

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2003 In Arabia We'd All Be Kings Skank Hampstead Theatre[34]
2003 Blood Luca Royal Court Theatre[35]
2007 The Man of Mode Dorimant National Theatre[36]
2010 The Long Red Road Sammy Goodman Theatre

Awards and nominations

Year Work Award Result
2003 Star Trek Nemesis Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
2008 Stuart: A Life Backwards British Academy Television Award for Best Actor Nominated
2009 The Take Crime Thriller Award for Best Leading Actor Nominated
2009 Bronson British Independent Film Award for Best Actor Won
2010 Bronson Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor Nominated
2010 Bronson London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actor of the Year Nominated
2010 Bronson Village Voice Film Poll - Best Actor Nominated
2010 Inception Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble Nominated
2010 Inception Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Nominated
2010 Inception Scream Award for Breakout Performance - Male Won
2011 Inception BAFTA Rising Star Award Won
2011 Inception MTV Movie Award for Best Line From a Movie Nominated
2011 Inception People Choice Award for Favorite On-Screen Team Nominated
2011 Inception Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
2011 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated
2012 Warrior MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (Shared with Joel Edgerton) Nominated
2012 Warrior Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama Nominated
2012 Warrior Teen Choice Award Best Choice Movie Actor - Action Nominated
2012 The Dark Knight Rises Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Villain Nominated
2013 The Dark Knight Rises MTV Movie Award for Best Villain Nominated
2013 The Dark Knight Rises MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (shared with Christian Bale) Nominated
2013 Locke British Independent Film Award for Best Actor Nominated
2014 Locke Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Won
2014 Locke European Film Award for Best Actor Nominated
2015 Locke and The Drop London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actor of the Year Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Hadfield, Tom (2011-08-25). "Tom Hardy timeline". Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-01-15.
  2. ↑ "Tom Hardy biography - Celebrity A-Zs GLAMOUR.com". Glamour.com UK. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  3. ↑ Grainger, Lisa (2013-04-18). "Tom Hardy's Travelling Life". Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-01-15.
  4. ↑ "From misfit to Mad Max". Taipei Times. 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2014-01-15.
  5. ↑ Head, Steve (9 December 2002). "An Interview with Tom Hardy". IGN. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  6. ↑ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/the-uk-movie-star-and-the-vancouver-tattoo-artist-he-cant-get-enough-of/article1316029/
  7. ↑ Maher, Kevin (5 March 2009). "A tough life for Bronson actor Tom Hardy". The Times (London).
  8. ↑ Fisher, Alice (4 July 2010). "Tom Hardy: the rake's progress". The Guardian (London).
  9. ↑ "Actors Who've Gone Big". Empire. Bauer Consumer Media. 13 March 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  10. ↑ Allen, Kate (7 September 2009). "Coben, Cole, Atkinson vie for crime awards". The Bookseller. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  11. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (13 February 2010). "Tom Hardy Journeys Goodman's Long Red Road, a World Premiere, Starting Feb. 13". Playbill Web site. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  12. ↑ Potempa, Phillip (24 February 2010). "OFFBEAT: Goodman Theatre's 'The Long Red Road' is brilliant masterpiece". nwi.com. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  13. ↑ Hieggelke, Brian (22 February 2010). "Review: The Long Red Road/Goodman Theatre". Newcity Stage. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  14. ↑ Rosenberg, Adam. "Tom Hardy landing the starring role in "Mad Max: Fury Road" is an amazing turn of events for that franchise.". mtv. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  15. ↑ "Tom Hardy Replaces Fassbender in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy". Comingsoon.net. 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2014-01-15.
  16. ↑ Ryan (13 October 2010). He was filming in Alvor, Algarve, Portugal through the summer of 2011 for this role as well as other locations throughout Europe."Tom Hardy Joins Batman 3 Cast; Fury Road Delayed". reelzchannel.com.
  17. ↑ Zeitchik, Steven (7 December 2010). "Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy will be bootleggers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  18. ↑ "Tom Hardy Preparing To Play Al Capone In David Yates' Trilogy 'Cicero'; Film(s) Aiming For 2013 Start". Indiewire. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  19. ↑ "''Tom Hardy joins WB's first-look roster''". Variety.com. 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2014-01-15.
  20. ↑ http://www.deadline.com/2014/03/doug-liman-to-helm-splinter-cell-with-tom-hardy/
  21. ↑ Graser, Marc (14 November 2012). "Tom Hardy game for ‘Splinter Cell’ movie". Variety. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  22. ↑ Samantha Highfill (23 October 2013). "Tom Hardy will play Elton John in biopic 'Rocketman'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  23. ↑ "Tom Hardy 'wasn't a fan of school'". Belfast Telegraph. March 14, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  24. ↑ Davies, Serena (11 June 2009). "Interview: Tom Hardy, from East End gangster to romantic hero". The Daily Telegraph (UK: Telegraph Media Group Limited).
  25. ↑ Katy Forrester (21 September 2014). "Tom Hardy 'secretly married' fiancée Charlotte in France TWO months ago - they kept that quiet". Mirror. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  26. ↑ Lauren Smith (22 September 2014). "Tom Hardy got married in secret - two months ago". Glamour. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  27. ↑ Rebecca Macatee, "Tom Hardy Gets a Kiss From His Dog Woodstock in Pro-Adoption Campaign for PETA—See the Pic!" EOnline.com, 28 April 2015.
  28. ↑ Gage, Simon (December 2008). "Tom Boy". Attitude.
  29. ↑ "Tom Hardy Did Make Gay Sex Comments". Advocate.com. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  30. ↑ McLean, Gareth (23 June 2009). "'I want adulation'". The Guardian (England: Guardian News and Media Limited). p. 13.
  31. ↑ "50 Best Dressed Men in Britain 2015". GQ. 5 Jan 2015.
  32. ↑ Wilding, Josh. "Tom Hardy Shares His Thoughts On Gary Oldman And His Plans After The Dark Knight Rises!". ComicBookMovie.
  33. ↑ Stern, Marlow. "Gary Oldman Talks 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,' 'Batman' Retirement". The Daily Beast. 8 Dec 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  34. ↑ Billington, Michael (28 April 2003). "The Guardian: In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings". Guardian. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  35. ↑ "Blood at the Royal Court Theatre". Royal Court Theatre. 2003. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  36. ↑ "The Man of Mode".

Further reading

External links

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