It has been almost over a decade since Tom Hardy awed the audiences by transforming into Bane on the big screen. Turns out, even though it looked flawless, the preparation for the Christopher Nolan movie took Hardy into a dark place. It continuously made him aware of his age, and how he has somewhat lost the ability to sustain such a demanding transformation.
Thus in a lot of interviews following the movie, Tom Hardy, who portrayed the archnemesis of the Gautham city superhero discussed how the role had exacted a significant physical and mental toll on him. Very recently, in 2021, Hardy also further shared insights on the preparation he underwent for the film during an episode of BBC Radio 1’s Kids Ask web series.
How Did the Bane Transformation Affect Tom Hardy Mentally?
Throughout his experience portraying Bane, Tom Hardy became acutely aware of the effects it had on his aging body, particularly in terms of maintaining the intense physical transformation required for the role. He realized that the demanding physicality and rigorous training regimen necessary to embody the powerful character took a toll on him both mentally and physically. The role was a continuous reminder of his age at any given moment, he confessed to The Daily Beast in 2017 saying,
“I think you pay the price with any drastic physical changes,–It was alright when I was younger–but I think as you get into your 40s you have to be more mindful of the rapid training, packing on a lot of weight, and getting physical, and then not having enough time to keep training because you’re busy filming–so your body is swimming in two different directions at the same time.”
The training and practice the role demanded were too much for the actor and he realized the role served as a warning or rather an aggressive reminder of the changes that occur with age and the limitations it imposes on an actor’s ability to undergo such demanding physical transformations repeatedly. He then further elaborated on the effects it had on his body post transformation saying,
“I haven’t damaged my body, but I’m certainly a bit achier than I used to be. I certainly have joints that click that probably shouldn’t click, you know what I mean? And carrying my children is a little bit harder than it used to be – but don’t tell them!”
Despite the difficulties he faced, Hardy’s portrayal of Bane remains widely celebrated, with fans still discussing the impact of his performance even after a decade.
How Did Tom Hardy Prepare for the Epic Transformation?
In an episode of BBC Radio 1’s Kids Ask web series, a talented young journalist, aged 10, inquired about the methods Hardy employed to develop his muscular physique for the role of Bane. And he replied with,
“If you really study the photographs [of Bane], I was really overweight, actually. I ate a lot and I wasn’t much heavier than I am now, but I just ate more pizza. They shoot from low to make you lookbig,–That’s the magic of lighting and three or four months of lifting and training and eating lots of pizza. It wasn’t great for my heart. The point was to look as big as possible. I have really skinny legs and my friend Jacob Tomuri — my stunt man — liked to say, ‘Why did Tom come in riding an emu?”
He had a rigorous training schedule 4 days a week, from lifting weights to running the track he did it all in order to achieve the look. To embody the formidable character he underwent a remarkable physical transformation, adding an impressive 30 pounds of mass to his physique. Thus, turns out, although the fans were extremely impressed by his performance, the role brought out some of his deepest and darkest fears from within.
Fans can catch The Dark Knight Rises to witness Hardy’s stellar performance yet again on the streaming service Max.
Source: The Daily Beast
