Action star Tom Hardy has played many physically demanding action roles in his career. He now suffers from injuries that cannot be reversed.
Tom Hardy’s body is his capital. He has just shown unprecedented dedication in one of the toughest Netflix films ever, and in films such as The Dark Knight Rises, The Revenant, and Venom, he repeatedly pushed himself to his physical limits. But decades of exertion are now taking their toll: in a new interview, Hardy hints that his action career could soon be over due to irreversible injuries.
Action star Tom Hardy describes himself as a broken man
In an interview with Esquire, Hardy takes stock of his physical condition:
I’ve had two knee operations and a slipped disc, plus sciatica [pain in the sciatic nerve]. And I have plantar fasciitis [often chronic inflammation of the sole of the foot]. Where did that come from? And why? I’ve also pulled a hip tendon. My body is falling apart and it’s not going to get any better.
Hardy’s verdict sounds like he may soon have to turn his back on the physically demanding roles of the past. It’s not unusual for action stars to take long breaks or consider a change of genre: until recently, Keanu Reeves was seriously considering not doing a fifth John Wick film for physical reasons.
Even though he may only have a few years left as an action star, Hardy is not slowing down just yet: he will soon be seen in Guy Ritchie’s gangster series MobLand – Familie bis aufs Blut (Family to the Bone), followed by the next Mad Max installment and an action film called War Party.
As a character actor, Hardy will certainly not be lost to fans, even if he hangs up his action career. And performances in Bronson, No Turning Back, and Peaky Blinders have long proven that the star can captivate audiences as an actor even without 1,000 punches per minute.
