Tom Hardy

Hailing from East Sheen, London, Hardy began his career in war dramas. He studied at Reeds School, Tower House Prep School for Boys, the Drama Centre London and subsequently at Richmond Drama School before winning the part of United States Army Private John Janovec in the award-winning HBO and BBC miniseries Band of Brothers. He made his feature film debut in Ridley Scott's 2001 war thriller Black Hawk Down.

In 2002, Hardy appeared the independent film Dot the i, sharing the bill with Gael García Bernal. He returned to England to feature in the 2003 thriller LD 50 Lethal Dose.

Hardy was awarded the 2003 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performances in Blood and Arabia, We'd All Be Kings performed at the Royal Court Theatre and Hampstead Theatre. He was also nominated for a 2004 Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer of 2003 in a Society of London Theatre Affiliate for his performance in the aforementioned production of Arabia, We'd All Be Kings.

Hardy appeared in the 2005 BBC miniseries The Virgin Queen as Robert Dudley, a childhood friend of Elizabeth I. The miniseries portrays them as having a platonic, though highly romantic, affair throughout her reign over England during the 16th century. Hardy featured in the Richard Fell adaptation of the 1960s sci-fi series A for Andromeda, on BBC Four.

In 2007, he appeared in the BBC Two drama based on a true story - Stuart: A Life Backwards. He played the lead role of Stuart Shorter, a homeless man who had been subjected to years of abuse and whose death was possibly suicide. In September 2008, he appeared in director Guy Ritchie's London gangster film, RocknRolla. He played the role of gay gangster Handsome Bob, one of the members of the criminal gang, the Wild Bunch, led by One Two, who Bob has a crush on. Hardy will reprise the role in Ritchie's sequel The Real RocknRolla.

In early 2009, Hardy starred in the film Bronson, about the real life prisoner Charles Bronson, who has spent almost his entire life in solitary confinement. For the film, he put on three stone of muscle and did 2,500 press-ups a day for five weeks.

In June 2009 Hardy starred in the Martina Cole written 4-part TV drama The Take on Sky One as a drugs and alcohol fuelled gangster. The role gained him a Best Actor nomination at the 2009 Crime Thriller Awards.

In August 2009 he appeared in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, playing the part of Heathcliff, the classic love character who falls in love with his childhood friend Cathy, "the love that destroyed everything it touched". It was even suggested by tabloid paper The Sun that he began a relationship with Charlotte Riley shortly after finishing work on The Take, and that he left his partner of two years and mother of his infant son to be with Riley. Riley has disputed this rumor in interviews.

Hardy has signed to play the son of Nick Nolte in the 2010 film Warrior, about a washed-up mixed martial artist. He will be the main protagonist in the film. He also has a role in Christopher Nolan's upcoming sci-fi thriller Inception.

Hardy has co-written two television shows with writer Kelly Marcel. "Candy Chops" was sold to Rob Brydon's production company - Arbie and "Kickapoo Dust" is owned by Left Bank.

He married Sarah Hardy in 1999 but they divorced sometime later. He's currently dating Rachael Speed and they have a son, Louis Hardy.

Tom also battled alcoholism and a crack addiction but has been sober for years.