I actually watched This Means War, that Mr. & Mrs. Smith-wannabe rom-com/action film starring Tom Hardy, Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon. I watched it on TV once and I really disliked it. Surprisingly (or not so much), I thought Tom and Chris were okay in it. Reese was a huge problem, as was Chelsea Handler in a supporting part. The biggest problem was an asinine script, plus Reese being badly miscast as a vapid idiot character and throughout the whole movie, I had no idea why the guys were “fighting” over her. The film was a mess but it made money (mostly overseas). But the experience of filming it? Not so good, apparently. Tom Hardy spoke to USA Today about This Means War and other stuff, and Tom basically says he’s not interested in doing that kind of project ever again.
His experience on This Means War: “I love to do things I hadn’t done before,” says Hardy. Which explains that one time he tried on the big ol’ studio rom-com This Means War – and, well, hated it. “I didn’t understand how you could do something which is so much fun and be so miserable doing it,” he says, blaming himself for feeling “other” on set. So consider that box checked. “I probably won’t do a romantic comedy again, do you know what I mean?”
On James Gandolfini: “The man I met I loved. He was a brilliant actor. Super talented. Super sensitive, vulnerable, emotionally articulate, generous, kind.”
Being in the public eye: “I hate being tracked or followed. I don’t like it when people say, ‘Well, you should have expected that when you accepted the job as an actor.’ When you go to drama school, no one gives you a class on fame. … Just treat people how you wish to be treated. Whether I’m married or not married, people will find out. But it’s also not something I’m going to offer.”
He’s a homebody: “I’m not really a road dog. I’m a bit of a homeboy,” says Hardy, throwing a wink about his chef skills on the way out the door (his specialty: “cheese toasties”). But “the reality is, I love what I (expletive) do.”
I think most “serious” actors can a long time without ever doing anything resembling a rom-com. Like, Tom Hardy could easily fill out his career for the next thirty years and never have to do a movie where he tries to “get” the perky blonde. That being said… he IS a great romantic lead. He’s a sexy guy and I love seeing the way he interacts with women (he had crazy chemistry with Jessica Chastain and I imagine he has great chemistry with Noomi Rapace). He can be a romantic lead and still NOT do rom-coms.
Oh, and I don’t think he and Charlotte Riley are married. I think they just consider themselves married and live together.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet, still from ‘This Means War’.
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