When we talk about one of the most talented film stars from the European continent, the name of British actor Tom Hardy is sure to make the top spot. Revered for his numerous performances which he always executes with a certain raw and dramatic feel to them, there has truly been only a handful of actors in the film industry with such natural talents.
Thus, with several appearances that the star has made over his long and illustrious career in the business, people tend to miss out on just how much effort he puts into getting into the mindset of his character. On one such occasion, the star was face to face with Britain’s most violent criminal, who also became a guiding light for him when he was down in his life.
Charles Bronson Gave Tom Hardy A Valuable Lesson On Life!
Popular in recent times for playing the role of Eddie Brock in Sony’s Venom franchise, Tom Hardy has always been one of the stars that go to extreme lengths to manifest the character that they are assigned. Whether it be going through a physical and mental transformation as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises or a frightening businessman with hints of megalomania in Peaky Blinders, the star has nothing but his all to give to his role. This habit also became a lifesaver for him when he was about to depict the character of Charles Bronson, one of the most dangerous inmates in British history.
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While preparing for director Nicolas Winding Refn’s biopic on the infamous Charles Bronson titled Bronson, the Warrior star had lots of conversations with the convict to try and understand his thought process and mannerisms. While talking to him, he also revealed that he was going through a breakup and that he felt weak and unsure of what to do. He said:
“I said ‘I’m just not comfortable, I’m saying goodbye to someone that I really loved. I’m not happy I’m not in a good space. I can’t be with a woman and yet I can’t be without one…It was like Therapy 101 with Charlie Bronson”
While many might think that this heartfelt confession might get nothing out form the hardened criminal, Bronson was quick to tell Hardy a story, which had a valuable lesson at the end that stuck with the star to this day. Bronson said:
“Do you remember the floods? Do you remember that boy who got his foot stuck in the grate, and the river kept rising, and it kept rising, and it kept rising, and eventually they tried to get him out but he drowned? Well that wouldn’t have happened to me. Do you want to know why? Because I’d have said, cut it off now. Tom, what I’m trying to say is, right, what I’m trying to say, son, is sometimes yeah you’ve got to cut a little piece of yourself off, yeah, no matter how much it hurts, in order to grow, yeah. In order to move on. Do you know what I mean?”
Thus, not only did his encounter with Bronson gave him insights about his character, but he also learned something that helped him in his personal life.
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What Was Bronson About?
If Hardy wanted to make an impact and showcase his talents to become as raw and rustic as the film demanded, then there could’ve been no better film for him than Bronson. The movie follows the life of the infamous criminal Michael Peterson, who later changed his name after the American actor, who was sentenced to 7 years in prison. But during the sentence, the man undergoes numerous psychological changes that make him violent, to the point that he is needed to be put into solitary confinement for the next 30 years of his life.
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Bronson, streaming on Peacock.
Source: Far Out Magazine
