The 20 best Tom Hardy performances

Hardy headlines one of the most prolific action movies of the 21 century in Mad Max: Fury Road. Set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Australia, a lone drifter named Max teams up with Furiosa to rebel against a tyrannical ruler. Featuring outstanding set pieces and electrifying visuals, director George Miller completely revolutionized the genre to create his Oscar-winning triumph. Hardy doesn’t have much dialogue, but his presence still roars and explodes.

Sony’s Spider-Man universe launched in 2018 with Venom, where Hardy plays the titular role and Venom’s other half, Eddie Brock. Eddie, a journalist, gets merged with a symbiotic alien sent to invade Earth but decides to protect it along with Eddie. The Venom movies have received mixed reviews from critics, but Hardy’s dual performance as the antihero makes them so much fun to watch. The dynamic between Eddie and Venom is chaotic, which Hardy embraces.

British crime-drama Peaky Blinders became one of the most-watched TV shows of the past ten years, chronicling the rise of the Peaky Blinders family gang in Birmingham, led by the fierce Thomas Shelby. Over six seasons, Hardy played the recurring role of Jewish gang leader Alfie Solomons, often sharing the screen with frequent collaborator Cillian Murphy. Hardy brought madness and eccentricity to his portrayal, making Alfie’s appearances unpredictable and entertaining. 

One of Hardy’s many collaborations with director Christopher Nolan is in The Dark Knight Rises , where the actor demonstrates his knack for playing great villains. Hardy plays terrorist Bane, who Bruce Wayne must stop from annihilating Gotham City. Bane is one of Hardy’s most iconic roles thanks to his unique costume, threatening presence, and muffled voice. It takes a lot to follow up Heath Ledger’s masterful Joker, but Hardy proves he is up to the task and excels. 

Hardy continued his villainous streak alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the historical drama The Revenant. In the film, frontiersman Hugh Glass is brutally mauled by a bear and must survive in the wilderness after being abandoned by his fur trading expedition team. Hardy plays John Fitzgerald, who is the one who leaves Glass for dead and also murders his son before doing so. Hardy was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his sinister performance. 

Hardy is part of an impressive ensemble cast in the period piece The Bikeriders. Based on a true story set in the ‘60s, the film follows a decade in the life of a Midwestern motorcycle club. As the club falls into a perilous world of violence, members must choose where their loyalties lie. Hardy plays Johnny, the founder and leader of the club. He oozes cool alongside Austin Butler, exuding grit and charisma as they ride through life and live dangerously. 

It may not be his most popular, but the strongest performance of Hardy’s career is certainly in the intimate and stripped-back drama Locke. Hardy plays a construction worker who has a major project the next day when he gets a phone call from a woman he slept with. She’s in labor, and everything is at stake for him. The entire setting of Locke is confined to a car, as Locke drives and takes phone calls. With nothing else to back him up, Hardy shines purely due to his dramatic abilities. 

Inception is often hailed as one of the most innovative sci-fi movies of all time, thanks to the mind of Christopher Nolan. In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays thief Cobb, who steals corporate secrets through dream-sharing technology. He, along with a team, is tasked with planting an idea into a C.E.O.’s mind. Hardy plays Eames, a member of the team who specializes in shape-shifting identity theft. In a very serious movie, he provides intelligent comic relief. 

In another Christopher Nolan movie, Hardy wears a mask once again, playing a World War II pilot in Dunkirk. Based on real events, the film sees soldiers from Britain, Belgium and France trapped on the beaches of northern France by German forces. A vast evacuation takes place, and the plot focuses on three perspectives: the soldiers, those who came to rescue them, and Hardy’s pilot. Caught in an aerial battle, Hardy is emotionally gripping and takes viewers on a journey with him. 

From the creator of Peaky Blinders, Taboo is another historical British series that sees Hardy in the world of crime and gangs. He plays adventurer James Delaney, who returns to London in 1812 to attend his father’s funeral after spending ten years in Africa. As he tries to rebuild his father’s business, many come after his inheritance. It’s a slow-burner with stunning visuals, and Hardy’s menace and griminess are perfect for the violent and atmospheric world of the show. 

Hardy stars alongside Joel Edgerton in the boxing drama Warrior. The film follows Tommy, a former marine who returns home from Iraq and gets his alcoholic father to train him for a mixed martial arts competition. The stakes heighten when he realizes his opponent is his estranged brother, Brendan. Hardy is a ripped beast in this role, proving he’s physically up to the challenge, and is able to bring dramatic depth to an emotional redemption arc for his character. A great sports movie all round.

Hardy plays one of Britain's most notorious criminals in Bronson. Originally sentenced to spend seven years in prison, Michael Peterson ended up in solitary confinement for three decades. During this time, he developed a larger-than-life alter-ego named Charles Bronson. Bronson features one of Hardy’s wildest performances and is a great example of his intensity as an actor. He is funny and shocking all at once, eating up every minute of his screen time with gusto and frightening charisma. 

In this underrated crime drama, Hardy stars alongside the late acting great James Gandolfini in his final film role. The story follows Bob, a bartender who works under his cousin Marv for a crime group. When he finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry, the whole syndicate is in danger of exposure. Hardy’s performance is understated and nuanced, playing against type as a more vulnerable and relatable figure. It is another showcase for his versatility as an actor. 

Before joining massive franchises like Mad Max, DC, and Marvel, Hardy made his mark on the Star Trek universe in Star Trek: Nemesis. In the film, The Enterprise and Captain Picard discover that Praetor Shinzon, played by Hardy, plans to attack Earth. The film marks one of Hardy’s earliest roles and the first time audiences were able to witness his talent for playing villainous characters. Despite the film receiving mixed reviews, he was a standout and showed his potential. 

Espionage thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is set during the days of the Cold War and follows George Smiley, a retired spy. He is summoned by the Government to come back on board and uncover the identity of a Soviet Agent within MI6. Hardy plays Ricki Tarr, a young spy who reports back to Smiley from his post in Istanbul. Hardy could have easily gotten lost in a massive cast made up of Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch, and John Hurt, but he manages to stand on his own against these British greats. 

From Guy Ritchie, RocknRolla is the crime-action romp audiences have come to expect from the famous director. When a Russian mobster is part of a crooked deal, millions of dollars are up for grabs, which captures the attention of the London gang underworld. Hardy plays Handsome Bob, who works alongside Gerard Butler’s One Two and Idris Elba’s Mumbles. This is an unexpected turn from Hardy, as his character is restrained compared to the brutes around him.

The 2009 miniseries Wuthering Heights is one of many adaptations of the classic 1847 novel by Emily Brontë. Hardy plays the leading role of Heathcliff, who is raised by the wealthy Earnshaw family. Later in life, he launches a vendetta against them. Heathcliff also falls in love with Cathy, and their romance becomes a danger for everybody around them. Charlotte Riley plays Cathy, Hardy’s now real-life wife, so it’s no surprise that the pair have very believable chemistry.

Based on a true story, Hardy stars alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in the 2007 TV movie Stuart: A Life Backwards. Alexander, a writer, reflects on his friendship with and the life of his homeless friend Stuart. Stuart is an alcoholic who leads a complicated life due to his traumatic childhood. Beautifully moving and, at times, difficult to watch, Hardy fully commits to the role physically and mentally. It’s also a delight to see him and Cumberbatch together before they became big stars.

Lawless is a crime thriller written by musician Nick Cave, and Hardy stars alongside Jessica Chastain and Shia LaBeouf. Set during the Depression in Franklin County, Virginia, the film follows the Bondurant Brothers, three bootleggers who refuse to share their cut of profits with corrupt authorities. Hardy plays Forrest Bondurant, a real-life figure who features in this fictionalized story. He makes for a classic old-school antihero and has all the brawn to sell this.

Why not have one Tom Hardy when you can have two? That is what makes the historical crime flick Legend so memorable and fun. Hardy plays twin brothers Reggie and Ronnie Ray, who rise in the ranks of the underworld to become two of England’s most feared mafia figures. Reggie is the more rational one, while Ronnie is unpredictable, and the pair clash. Hardy is convincingly able to portray both and create two distinct characters that feel like real people and not just clones of each other.