Tom Hardy might not be a method actor, but he’s well known for fully committing to whatever part he’s playing – whether that be a hulking alien parasite or an infamous London gangster. His commitment to the craft was actually earned him the part of Mad Max in Fury Road one of the best action movies ever made.
Kyle Buchanan revealed as much in his book Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road. According to Buchanan Miller had narrowed down his choice for Max to three men Tom Hardy, Armie Hammer, and the MCU‘s own Jeremy Renner. An accidental globule of spit was what won Hardy the part though it seems.
“Near the end of the process,” Buchanan writes, as reported by Vulture. “Hardy emerged as a front-runner alongside Jeremy Renner and Armie Hammer. Hardy and Hammer even read together as part of their audition, and when Hardy gnashed his teeth and spat at his scene partner, Hammer told Miller that Hardy needed to be Max more than he did.”
In an interview with Todd Matthew Grossman, who filmed the interview, the cameraman told Buchanan all the actors were good but “there was something about Tom”.
“He had that kind of suppressed emotional dryness that you’d find in a post-apocalypse and, buried underneath it, disdain for the world,” he continued. “There was this intensity that burned through the lens.”
Miller felt similarly telling Buchanan that Hardy reminded him of the original Road Warrior Mel Gibson. Apparently, Miller believed the pair shared an animal-like charisma.
Interestingly Miller saw that in another actor as well, none other than Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem. If you love the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max, then check out our list of the best disaster movies.