Tom Hardy, the celebrated actor known for his roles in films like Batman, Mad Max, Venom, and Bronson, has achieved another milestone: a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The accomplishment marks the culmination of a journey that began fifteen years ago on the set of the film Warrior, where the British actor discovered a martial art with profoundly impactful virtues.
Hardy first gained recognition for portraying the most violent and traumatized prisoner in Britain in the critically underappreciated Bronson. He later embodied “Venom,” the malevolent antagonist of Spider-Man, and revitalized the dystopian Mad Max saga with a relentless chase. He also famously challenged Batman, bringing Gotham City to its knees in the final installment of Christopher Nolan’s trilogy dedicated to the Dark Knight. Now, at forty-eight years old, Hardy has established himself as a prominent figure in cinema.
But Hardy’s life extends beyond film sets; the tatami (martial arts mat) is also integral to his existence. He was recently promoted to brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a feat achieved after nearly fifteen years of dedication.
“I brought home vagabonds to teach me to fight”
Born to an artist-painter mother and a novelist and comedy writer father, Hardy grew up in a family of intellectuals in the affluent East Sheen neighborhood of London. This upbringing stood in stark contrast to the raw violence inherent in combat sports. “My father isn’t frankly the type to fight. He has a quick wit, a sense of repartee and sallies that allow him to get out of a fight – and that’s it,” Hardy revealed to The Guardian some years ago. “My father came from an intellectual and studious background, not a fighting one. So I had to go looking elsewhere and I brought home all sorts of scoundrels – toothless, earless vagabonds – to teach me the ropes of the old fight.”
Initially a novice, Hardy joined the cast of Warrior in 2011, a film now lauded for its realistic depiction of the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), featuring appearances by several UFC personalities. Set against a backdrop of familial turmoil with his father and brother, Hardy played Tommy Conlon, a taciturn and tormented former Marine and wrestler who enters an MMA tournament to honor a promise made to the wife of a fallen comrade.
12 kilos of muscle, ascetic diet, and a relentless training regimen
To imbue his character with an almost animalistic dimension, Hardy underwent intensive preparation. He eliminated carbohydrates, subsisted on a diet of chicken and broccoli, and gained over twelve kilos of muscle.
“I was training two hours a day in boxing, two hours in Muay Thai, two hours in jiu-jitsu, followed by two hours of choreography and two hours of weight training, seven days a week, for three months. Frankly, you really have to be motivated, it was a real challenge.”
Hardy’s body paid the price, with broken ribs, a toe, and a finger sustained during the rigorous training.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, his spiritual outlet
It was during this time, at the age of thirty-four, that Hardy became acquainted with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu before falling in love with it. More than the combat style itself, it was the spiritual dimension inherent in it that attracted him. “Jiu-jitsu is very Buddhist. Everything we fear, we hold dear within us to survive,” Hardy philosophized in 2011.
A former alcoholic and drug addict who suffered from dysthymia – a depressive disorder characterized by chronic mood swings – and nearly succumbed to a crack overdose in 2003, Hardy, who was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, finds in this martial art an outlet for his past and intimate fractures: “It taught me a lesson. I was thrown to the Kraken and came out alive. Facing death, I was reborn. I had always been a hyperactive kid, then I became a real bastard. That’s no longer the case.” Starting as a white belt in 2017, progressing to blue in 2020, purple in 2023, and now brown, Hardy has ascended the ranks with humility, taking measured steps on the mats.
“I’ve always been nervous about fighting and the martial arts community because I’ve always thought I didn’t belong. I was totally intimidated, I was a little scared. But they gave me a lot of confidence. It’s mostly about meditation and relaxation for me, I don’t have that competitive spirit. I don’t need to win, I don’t care.”
“I asked the referee if that was Tom Hardy!”
Endorsed by the Gracie family, who developed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Hardy has participated in several local tournaments under his real name, Edward Hardy, to avoid media attention. However, facing Tom Hardy as an opponent is anything but ordinary.
“It was a competition day like any other. I weighed in and went to the fighting hall when it was my turn, recounts Danny Appleton, who crossed paths with the film star in 2022, winning a gold medal at a tournament in Milton Keynes. I was looking for other blue belts to try to guess who my opponent would be. Arriving on the mat after the referee called me, I checked with my wife and children to make sure they were well positioned to see me. Then I glanced to my left and Tom Hardy was there, ready to fight. Naturally, I was stunned. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I even asked the referee if it was him. He laughed and confirmed. Tom and I shook hands and he reassured me before the fight.”
On the mats, the headliner of the MobLand series alongside Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren exhibits a style characterized by patience, methodical approach, pressure, and control, with a penchant for submissions. “I love choking people. It’s not really a submission, but I like it,” he confessed with a playful grin last year. “A win is a win.” And Danny Appleton, a former military man, detailed his almost gratifying defeat: “After some intense exchanges, I managed to lock in a triangle. Tom, thanks to his experience and technique, broke my triangle and passed my guard. Seeking a four-point submission, I tried to reverse the position, but he grabbed my arm. I struggled, but he managed to break the hold and extend my arm for an armbar. I tapped, he had won!”
The REORG association, his other fight
Hardy’s involvement in Jiu-Jitsu extends beyond personal practice. The actor, who starred alongside Oscar winners Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders and Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception and The Revenant, presides over the REORG charity. The organization promotes the therapeutic benefits of JJB for former war veterans suffering from debilitating injuries or post-traumatic stress.
“Addiction is a complex and difficult subject to grasp, as is mental health. These are issues that touch me deeply and are particularly close to my heart,” Hardy shared extensively on Instagram four years ago. “For me, regular practice (a hobby and personal passion) has been essential for developing greater inner strength, calm, and increased well-being. REORG’s work has changed and saved lives around the world, not only by providing an effective and positive way to manage the difficult psychological aspects of military and first responder careers, but also by allowing many to rediscover a sense of meaning in their lives, their identity, and a feeling of belonging to a community, often lost when transitioning to civilian life.” Through his association, Tom Hardy continues his inner journey in the shadows, away from the spotlights and the tumult of Hollywood.
