An actor retiring at the age of 40 isn’t considered to be insanely young, but it’s still something of a surprise, especially when that actor seems to be on a role like fan favorite Tom Hardy. While his youth was plagued with alcohol and drug-related problems he manged to turn himself around and get back on track after a stint in rehab. From that point on he started becoming a rather hot commodity as he started to get noticed more and more for his roles in Hollywood and his ability to take a character and roll with it to a degree that was simply amazing. To think that he would retire now is somehow kind of a surprise to many who think that he’s destined to stick around until he’s old and gray and is ready to finally step down just because it’s that time. For Hardy though he’s seemingly had enough and is ready to call it a career. Some people seem genuinely flabbergasted by this, but if you’ve been watching the things he’s done and the parts he’s taken on throughout his career it might make a lot more sense at the end. The guy has after all done some very amazing things and has become an icon in his own time.
So really, what’s left?
He’s tired of the stress.
Acting does take a lot out of people, and it’s not the mental stress of having to step into the shoes of another character and be that person for a certain duration. It’s the constant and overwhelmingly busy schedule that a lot of actors go through, the travel to film on location, the time spent apart from family and friends, and the continual need to always focus up for a part when it comes your way. Hardy has been able to prove that he can do this and more throughout his career, but he’s done so much more than this that it seems as though it’s been wearing on him for a while and that he might have finally started to feel the mental and physical pinch of it. To say he’s tired is kind of an understatement, but to say that he’s likely sat down to explore his options more than once seems like it would be a lot closer to the truth. At the moment it seems like this might be his favored option when it comes to retirement.
His body has been put through a lot in an effort to fulfill his roles.
A lot of actors take it upon themselves to transform their bodies for a role, but Hardy is one of those that will do so in a manner that is simply amazing and somewhat damaging as he’s packed on the pounds and then taken them off for various roles in a way that taxes the body to such a degree that it will be undeniably hazardous to a person’s health. Hardy admits that parts of his body creak and groan in ways that they weren’t meant to, and that his knees have been giving out on him thanks to the extensive body work he’s done throughout his career. For the role of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises he had to pack on an extra 30 lbs. of muscle, which seems extremely impressive but also kind of dangerous since it begs the question of whether his frame was ready to accept so much added muscle in such a short time. He managed to excel in the role thankfully, but his life has still been changed by that experience since his body had to go through the grueling process of putting the muscle on and then losing it afterwards.
He’s ready to call it a day and spend more time with his family.
In Hardy’s estimation he’s climbed the mountain when it comes to his career, and looking to climb it again and again seems a bit pointless. Some people might gladly argue with him on that point but there is a point to be made. Once a person has managed to climb Mt. Success it’s hard to imagine why you’d want to keep going through the pain and agony of having to do it multiple times just to show that you could endure it that often. Granted, some people climb the mountain and don’t have to come back down, enjoying themselves at the top for as long as they’re able, but the added stress this can put on a person is still just as damaging as doing it over and over. Hardy has climbed the mountain a couple of times and is definitely ready to say enough is enough, preferring to spend his time with his family so that he can enjoy the years to come.
It would be a big loss to the Hollywood community, but in truth you can’t really blame him for wanting a simpler life.
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