Tom Hardy has made his name as one of the most intense actors that people love watching on screen. The actor’s method approach to his roles and his insistence on going deep into the skin of a character has led to some high-brow performances in Bronson, The Dark Knight Rises, The Revenant, and Capone where he became almost unrecognizable.
Hardy is also infamous for his uncanny and weird accent choices in some of his films that people have found to be hard to understand. He did the same for his upcoming film The Bikeriders, attempting a Midwestern accent. In addition to wanting to play against expectations with his character, he was also not really concerned about authentically replicating a certain dialect.
Tom Hardy Admits He’s Not Sure About Nailing His Midwestern Accent in The Bikeriders
Tom Hardy is starring alongside Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Michael Shannon in Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders. Hardy plays the leader of a lawless biker gang and chronicles the group’s evolution over several years. For the role, Hardy wanted to do something unexpected that audiences would be surprised by to see in a biker film.
In an interview with Variety, the actor revealed how a typical film featuring bikers is expected to feature cool-looking dudes wearing leather clothes, and great music. However, he wanted to counter that perception by presenting a very flawed man who, according to him, is a tragic clown. Hardy also implemented a Midwestern accent for his role as Johnny in the film.
The Mad Max star is also infamous for his idiosyncratic accents in films like The Revenant, Lawless, and The Dark Knight Rises. Thus for The Bikeriders, he claims that while he may not have 100% nailed the Midwestern accent (which he described as similar to a creepy Bugs Bunny voice), it’s all about creating the correct atmosphere of a time and place that’s authentic at the end. He said,
This guy is a tragic clown. Where’s the pathetic element? Where’s the wretch? Where’s the embarrassing moments? Where’s the weaknesses? I need to flesh this guy out. Why is the voice a little bit creepy? Why is it a little like Bugs Bunny? Accent work is not about phonetics or being accurate, to me. It’s about conjuring an atmosphere from a place which is authentic.
Hardy is implying that he may have not authentically represented the Midwestern accent and may even have gone a bit too far with it. But in the end, conveying the right vibe and atmosphere of the period and setting of the film is the most important of all. The actor feels he has done that justice while not being too concerned about the dialect.
Tom Hardy Details His Unique Way Of Committing To Projects
Tom Hardy has been in the industry for quite a while now and has seen how it has evolved and changed with time. New actors and new filmmakers tend to approach things differently and he is fascinated with their innovative approach. The actor has also found his own sweet way of committing to projects, one which is unusual for a ‘serious’ actor like him.
In an interview with Collider, the actor stated that he sometimes does not read a script for a film. He just listens to the director’s vision and what excites him/her about the film. Talking to the directors and what they want to create with a specific film has become his determining factor in whether to do a film or not. Hardy said,
It depends on what it is. Sometimes I don’t read a script. I’ll ask somebody to tell me the story, like the director, because the case file of the script will corroborate what the director is really excited about, what they’re trying to say, or what they’re trying to do with a piece or a character. Sometimes now, I find that I prefer conversations with directors or writers, or the polycross of the two, to understand what it is that they’re trying to do or what they want to do with the character.
Hardy is currently starring in The Bikeriders alongside Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, and Norman Reedus. The film will hit theatres on June 21, 2024. Hardy will also return as Venom in Venom: The Last Dance, releasing on October 25, 2024.
