8 Little Known Nuances In Tom Hardy’s Performance That Made Nolan’s Bane Awesome
1. Nolan Chose Hardy Because He Acts With More Than His Mouth
Although Inception marked the first time Nolan and Hardy had worked together, the performance that really bears all the hallmarks of Bane is Bronson. Playing the most violent prisoner in Britain, Hardy delivered a chilling performance that elevated Nicolas Winding Refns film to haunting brilliance (he is, after all, at his best when focusing on actors rather than his own pretentiousness), much of the film being him monologuing on stage to a non-existent audience.
The final shot of the film, a grimacing smile, showed a real mastery of the whole face, not just general face movements. It was that particular acting element that had Nolan convinced Hardy could deliver a worthy performance behind the mask. He needed an actor who was comfortable using their whole body to convey the character - often in a very over the top way - but could also convey a confidence to not go too far; a balance of Hardy's qualities as Bronson and Eames in Inception.
The mask itself could have caused a big problem for Hardy - can you imagine having two thirds of your face covered up by metal - but he repeatedly said in interviews after the initial panic he felt fine with the metal facehugger.
Any more mind-blowing tricks Hardy did to create Bane? Any Batman villains you want me to cover next? Head down to the comments and let us know.