Tom Hardy has opened up about his evolving relationship with acclaimed filmmaker Guy Ritchie, shedding light on their creative dynamic during the making of the new crime series MobLand.
The 47-year-old British actor, widely praised for his transformative roles, revealed that he was initially unsure about working with Ritchie, despite the director’s fame for his gritty, high-energy storytelling.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Tom Hardy candidly discussed his first impressions of Ritchie, who directed the first two episodes of MobLand. “I love Guy Ritchie when he’s on, right?” Hardy said. “But I don’t like his take on ‘Oi oi, awight mate! Awight geezah!’ I’m not really that. The first time I met him, I didn’t understand him.”
The Legend star explained that Ritchie’s unique style of communication and creative direction took time to grasp. “You have to listen to him in a certain way, to tune in to what he wants,” Hardy noted.
Tom Hardy admitted that in his early years, he saw Ritchie as a bit “macho” and “geezerish,” traits that initially put him off. “I thought he was a bit commercial, a bit too punchy,” he added. “But I misunderstood. There was an edge to it. It had something real underneath.”
Despite his reservations, Hardy did team up with Ritchie back in 2008 for Rock’n’Rolla, a film that, while appreciated by fans of the genre, didn’t reach the critical or commercial heights of Ritchie’s earlier hits like Snatch or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Now, with MobLand, their creative partnership has evolved. Tom Hardy appears to have found common ground with Ritchie’s artistic vision, embracing a new chapter in their working relationship.
Meanwhile, Tom Hardy has also wrapped production on Venom 3, continuing his streak as one of Hollywood’s most compelling leading men.
Hardy also teased upcoming projects, hinting at more collaborations and surprising genre shifts that could redefine his career in the coming year.