Tom Hardy Shares the Surprising Toughest Role He’s Ever Played (Exclusive)
Written by Rtradio on June 10, 2024
Tom Hardy is one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, and he’s never shied away from taking on physically and mentally demanding roles.
However, when it comes to what he considers to be his toughest role, the screen icon’s choice was genuinely surprising.
The Bikeriders star, 46, recently spoke with ET’s Nischelle Turner during a press day promoting his new drama, and he reflected on his recurring gig, in which he reads bedtime stories for kids on the BBC program CBeebies Bedtime Stories.
“That’s actually really tough!” Hardy said. “You have to try working with children or try to get them to sleep — talk about tough! It’s the toughest thing on the planet is trying to get children to go to bed on time.”
“That’s authentically the toughest role I’ve ever played,” Hardy said with a laugh. “And it’s the closest, probably, to me.”
Hardy is the father of three children, including two kids with his wife, Charlotte Riley — born in 2015 and 2019, though they’ve never revealed the names or genders of either child. He also has a 16-year-old son, Louis, from his past relationship with Rachael Speed.
While he’s got some professional experience as a bedtime story reader, Hardy joked that it hasn’t gotten him much respect when it comes to getting his own kids to sleep.
“[There’s] no respect at home. That’s not where respect is!” Hardy joked. “It’s where it’s earned and lost!”
In his new film The Bikeriders, Hardy stars as Johnny, the leader of an outlaw motorcycle gang called the Vandals MC who operate in Chicago in the 1960s. Austin Butler plays Benny, a young member of the club who falls in love with Kathy (Jodie Comer) and finds himself having to choose between the woman he cares for and the increasingly dangerous group of outlaws who have become his surrogate family.
Hardy reflected on his role as Johnny, a mentor of sorts for Benny, and how he himself has never seemed to gravitate toward mentors or close-knit cliques while navigating Hollywood.
“I’ve never really wanted to be apart of any community ever,” Hardy admitted. “And then, I really do want to be part [of one], I’m like ‘Why have I got no friends?!’… I just want to be on my own, like ‘Leave me alone, I’ll do it myself, I’m fine, I don’t want anyone!’ But then you need to have everyone to hear you say that.”
“I want to be invited but I don’t want to come, you know?” Hardy said with a laugh. “Like, I want all the joys and the pleasures of the community without the, you know, having to be happy all the time.”
The Bikeriders — which also stars Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus, Mike Faist and Damon Herriman — hits theaters June 21.
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