“2 hours boxing, 2 hours muay thai, 2 hours jiu-jitsu, 2 hours weight lifting”: Tom Hardy Worked Out 8 Hours a Day for 3 Weeks for a Movie That Ended Up in $2M Loss
Tom Hardy, a London-born actor, and all-around badass, gives roles his all and everything. Over the years, Hardy has undergone some severe physical changes for his films, bulking up and getting cut to play supervillains, mad criminals, and MMA fighters. For some of his best parts, Tom Hardy goes through some awe-inspiring physical changes because he becomes one with who he portrays.
Tom Hardy’s Workout For Warrior
Tom Hardy is renowned for changing his physical appearance to fit cinematic roles. His exercise and food routine are not constant; and over the years, he has used them to produce whole distinct body types.
While his physique in Bronson and Warrior may appear to be very similar on the surface, he had very distinct goals in mind for the two.
The fact that Hardy was not a natural fighter and was much less convincing than his co-star, who had ten years of karate training, is revealed in Warrior‘s behind-the-scenes video. Hardy plays Tommy Riordan in the movie, a former Marine who returns home and convinces his father to put him through mixed martial arts training. Hardy lived the life of a fighter to get ready for the part and put on 28 pounds of muscle to build a convincing body. He once told The Guardian,
“I did two hours boxing a day, two hours muay thai, two hours ju jitsu followed by two hours choreography and two hours of weightlifting seven days a week for three months. So come on! You have to want to do that, so it was a challenge.”
Before celebrities like Conor McGregor, Warrior was released just before MMA became a part of popular culture. The word-of-mouth success of the movie was partly attributed to Tom Hardy’s remarkable physical performance. However, Hardy wasn’t a household name at the time, and its lack of star power likely harmed its chances at the box office. It also meant that it couldn’t even earn back its investment.
Tom Hardy Said He’s “damaged his body” For Film Roles
Tom Hardy has admitted that he fears that the numerous physical changes he has undergone for on-screen roles might have damaged his body.
“I’ve probably damaged my body too much,” he told Daily Beast. “I’m only little! If I keep putting on weight I’ll collapse like a house of cards under too much pressure.”
He added: “I’m certainly a bit achier than I used to be! I kind of miss it.”
“Compared to Christian Bale I’ve been by no means extreme in my body changes, but for what little I’ve done, yeah.”
Hardy dives into roles, psychologically and physically; this is perhaps best demonstrated by his breakthrough performance in 2008’s Bronson, in which he played a deranged petty criminal with brilliantly terrifying outbursts. He portrays Ivan Locke, a cool-headed, logical man who is trying to save his family and career after making a poor decision. During a 90-minute car ride in the movie Locke, in which he plays a criminal, Hardy is practically the complete opposite of what he was in Bronson.
Source: CheatSheet
