10 Reasons To Stop Hating Star Trek: Nemesis

A relative unknown when he was cast in Nemesis, Tom Hardy has gone on to reach the dizzying heights of Hollywood superstar, and deservedly so. The young (mid-twenties), and then relatively inexperienced, actor delivered a powerhouse performance as Praetor Shinzon, holding his own as he goes line-for-line with acting royalty Patrick Stewart. Few others would have suited the role so well, and plenty auditioned (or were considered) including Jude Law, Michael Shanks, and James Marsters.

In an interview for ET Inside, Patrick Stewart revealed that Hardy was suggested to him by a friend and former agent as "just the man [for the role]". Hardy was filming in Morocco at the time and, again according to Stewart, taped himself for the role of Shinzon "naked" and essentially improvising, a fact that "made everyone sit up".

Hardy’s screen test with Stewart (seemingly filmed in the NX-01 armoury) is available on YouTube. Placed side-by-side in the clip with the actual scenes in the Romulan Senate, it highlights the magnificent nuances of Hardy’s menacing portrayal of the deceptive and hate-filled Shinzon.

In interviews from the time, Hardy speaks with genuine pride about the role for which he watched all of The Next Generation and the films to prepare. The role was to be the 'big break' for the actor, and he clearly expresses his desire to do further Trek. Sadly, the film’s poor performance at the box office and fan backlash took a significant toll on Hardy’s mental health from which it took time to recover.