Tom Hardy: 10 Roles That Passed You By

Thise who have seen Bronson will agree it is a powerhouse of a performance by Tom Hardy as violent British criminal Michael 'Charles Bronson' Peterson, and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that starring roles are not wasted on Hardy. The only thing which disappoints is that as a festival release there are far too many people just haven't seen it. 

On screen for virtually the entire duration, as well as packing on the muscle before it was cool, in his performance Hardy embodies a whole range of characteristics that only someone as divisive as Bronson could provide: although his penchant for violence has transformed an initial seven year stretch to life imprisonment, he has since become known for the artwork he produces during his solitary confinement. 

Although not portraying a character arc in the traditional sense (his violent and showmanship tendencies remain throughout), Hardy is far from static, providing an exaggerated look at this already larger than life individual. From recreating the fights of the "most violent prisoner in Britain", to surreal depictions of internal monologues presented to a 'live' theatre audience, it is hardly surprising that Bronson was hailed as Hardy's "performance of a lifetime."

Even seven years after its release, taking on the roles of two iconic British criminals is the only way Hardy could try to top his performance of just one in Bronson.