Regarded as one of Hollywood’s finest actors, Tom Hardy has taken on some brutally intense roles throughout his career. But despite his tough-guy reputation, Hardy once admitted that harsh criticism hit him harder than fans might expect.
The actor revealed that he trained relentlessly to play Bane in ‘The Dark Knight Rises.’ His intimidating presence made him one of the film’s standout villains, but not everyone thought he was the right fit. In fact, some of the backlash reportedly affected Hardy so deeply that it brought him to tears.
Fans Were Not Impressed With Tom Hardy’s Physique As Bane
Before filming ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ Hardy was already undergoing intense physical preparation for ‘Warrior,’ where he played an MMA fighter. By the time he stepped into Bane’s role, he had reached around 190 pounds. Still, many fans felt it wasn’t enough, especially compared to Bane’s massive comic-book appearance.
Online criticism quickly escalated, with viewers picking apart everything from his physique to his voice. Hardy later admitted the reaction crushed him. During a media event years ago, he confessed that reading the comments made him emotional.
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“I’m human, and I do read things. I read the comments, and I cry. I can’t cry for everybody,” Hardy said.
Despite the backlash, Hardy didn’t let the criticism derail him. Instead, he pushed forward and focused on delivering a performance that audiences wouldn’t forget.
Tom Hardy Trusted Christopher Nolan’s Vision
Hardy explained that while preparing for Bane, he fully trusted Christopher Nolan’s direction and committed to giving the role everything he had. “I just give them a job, and be the best that I can be. Just trust me. I trust Nolan,” he said.
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Since Bane was depicted as Latino in the comics, Hardy initially had concerns about how the character’s voice would come across on screen. He even warned Nolan about it. But after experimenting and refining the tone together, they landed on something completely original.
Even though the voice divided audiences at first, it eventually became one of the most iconic elements of Hardy’s portrayal and is still celebrated by fans today.
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