TOM HARDY
THE IMPECCABLE CAREER OF
By Lee Parham
As Tom Hardy reprises his role as Eddie Brock in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, we look back at the career of one of the industry's most beloved actors, and why it wasn’t always smooth sailing.
Tom Hardy was born in London, England in 1977 into a family of artists. His mother Anne was a painter and his father Chip was a writer.
With artistry in his DNA, Hardy inevitably followed in his parents footsteps, attending Richmond Drama School in London en route to becoming an actor.
Hardy first broke onto the scene in 2001 with multiple parts in war productions. First came Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down, recapping America’s military raid of Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993.
Hardy then featured as part of the massive ensemble cast of HBO’s iconic World War II series Band of Brothers, in which he appeared in two episodes as John Janovec.
Despite only brief appearances in small roles, Hardy was noticed quickly and cast as the villain Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis, the last Star Trek film to feature the Next Generation crew.
It’s strange to think about now, but Hardy spent the majority of the 2000s as a struggling actor appearing in a number of small parts, with brief highlights in 2004’s Layer Cake and 2008’s Bronson.
Bronson
However, fortune struck Hardy in the form of director Christopher Nolan, who cast him in his 2010 mind-bender Inception. Hardy’s performance was praised as he gained recognition.
Forming a rapport with Nolan is a great thing for any thespian, as the director loves to recycle actors. Nolan soon cast Hardy as a pilot in the World War II film Dunkirk; a brief but noteworthy role.
Hardy and Nolan’s biggest collaboration was The Dark Knight Rises, with Tom starring as the film’s villain, Bane. He commanded the screen both physically and mentally with a huge performance.
Working with Nolan ended up being the fuel Hardy needed for his career, and the actor went on to star in bigger projects, including Warrior, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Lawless, Locke, and Legend.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Perhaps the most crucial year of Hardy’s career was 2015, with his star turns as Max in Mad Max: Fury Road and John Fitzgerald in The Revenant.
The Revenant
Mad Max: Fury Road
Both films went on to garner Best Picture nominations at the Academy Awards, and The Revenant earned Hardy his first Oscar nomination.
The Revenant
A few years passed, and then Hardy was ready to lead his own comic book franchise. He grabbed the opportunity to play Eddie Brock and Venom in the film of the same name.
While Venom wasn’t exactly a critical success, the movie was a box office hit and Hardy’s portrayal as the alien symbiote with a knack for eating people was praised by fans.
Hardy reprises his role in the sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, alongside Woody Harrelson as Venom’s arch nemesis Carnage - a fellow dangerous alien hungry for blood.
From comic book flicks to wartime dramas and high-octane action films, the career of Tom Hardy has been a bombastic one, with much more on the way.