British actor Tom Hardy has revealed the serious health issues he now faces after years of playing tough roles in action films.
In a new interview with Esquire, the 47-year-old star admitted his body has taken a hard hit from intense physical work on set.
Hardy, who has starred in blockbusters like Venom, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Dark Knight Rises, said he’s had two knee surgeries, a herniated disc in his back, sciatica, and plantar fasciitis. He also said he pulled a tendon in his hip and feels like his body is falling apart.
“It’s all falling to bits now, and it’s not going to get better,” the actor shared.
Despite his pain, Hardy said he pushed himself for years, always chasing something more in his career. But now, he questions what all the pressure was for.
He said, “Maybe it’s a self-worth thing, maybe it’s not finishing school, maybe it’s not being good enough. But all this ‘I’ll show, I’ll show’… Show who? No one cares!”
Hardy admitted that even though he’s acted in nearly every film genre, worked with major stars, and played big roles, the success hasn’t always felt satisfying. “If becoming a successful actor was climbing Everest, and I got to the summit, it was a false summit. Because there was another climb.”
The actor, who recently appeared in Venom: The Last Dance and Mobland, also mentioned trying home remedies like tinctures and said he’s open to using stem cells to manage his pain. Though he joked that he’s at the “bottom of the old-man ladder” in terms of roles, he made it clear he’s not ready to quit acting.
“I’m not retiring myself,” he said. “But I’m just saying, ‘What do you want to do with that?’”
Hardy revealed that during one of his recent interviews, he felt dizzy and had to take medication to stay focused. Still, he kept going with the promotion of his latest projects.
