Tom Hardy first appeared on our screens in the TV mini-series Band of Brothers, and he's become one of the UK's most well-known actors.
He has starred in Peaky Blinders, Bronson, Inception, and so much more. Arguably his most famous role was when he played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, with his role being praised by fans.
But there's lots you might not know about the British actor, such as the famous face he went to school with, and the TV contest he once won.
1. Tom Hardy went to school with Michael Fassbender.
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Tom Hardy revealed he'd gone to school with fellow actor Michael Fassbender before they acted together in Band of Brothers. He said: "I was a teenager when I went to drama school with Michael Fassbender and he was two years above me, and for his year, he was the dude, you know what I mean? We all looked up to him. He was the shining light of the third-years."
2. He really loves dogs.
Tom Hardy is definitely a dog person! He's a patron of Battersea Dogs Home and appeared in a video for LadBible featuring some of the dogs looking for a forever home. This video has been viewed over a million times. When asked what his favourite type is, he simply replied, "all dogs".
3. He's a fan of Mixed Martial Arts.
Tom Hardy has trained with with pro MMA fighters Nathan Jones and Dan 'Villi' Edwards, incorporating mixed martial arts, boxing, and jiu-jitsu into his workout routine to prepare for his role in Venom. He was doing these workouts up to five times a week, so it was pretty intense stuff. Previously, he's worked with the Royal Marines Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association.
4. He won a TV modelling competition.
When he was 20 years old, Tom Hardy won a modelling contest on Channel 4's weekly morning show The Big Breakfast. The male modelling competition was presented by Johnny Vaughn and Denise Van Outen in 1998.
5. He finds it hard to cry on cue.
Hardy has admitted he finds it hard to cry when he's performing. But sometimes the strangest of things can set him off. He told ShortList, "I find crying difficult. It takes a long time for me to go. And I won’t know what will send me. I’m quite sentimental. If my son tells me he loves me, that will make me cry. Mr. Holland’s Opus, unbelievably, broke me. A random anomaly. Bambi would probably do me. Or Shrek."
6. He watches The Nutcracker ballet every year.
It may surprise you, but Tom Hardy really enjoys ballet. He's a big supporter of the English National Ballet, based in London. An insider told US Weekly, "Tom loves to sneak off by himself to the English National Ballet to unwind. He’ll throw on a cap so no one notices him". He has also been spotted attending the famous seasonal ballet The Nutcracker.
7. He wanted to be a rapper.
Before he became the famous actor we know and love, Tom Hardy was also considering a career as a rapper. In an interview with BBC Newsbeat, he revealed he'd actually had a recording deal when he was younger. He said: "I started out rapping when I was 14 or 15. Because I come from a nice middle-class neighbourhood it was a very hard sell. And I wasn't very good! I've recorded loads of stuff but it's never been released."
Tom Hardy's Fact File.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the actor.
How old is he?
Tom Hardy is 43 years old. He was born on 15 September 1977.
Is he married?
Tom Hardy married actress Charlotte Riley in 2014.
Where was he born?
Tom Hardy was born in Hammersmith, London.
How tall is he?
Tom Hardy is 1.75m tall.
Instagram: @tomhardy
We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.
