Tom Hardy was raised Catholic, and his large tattoo of the Virgin Mary on his left arm hints at this religious upbringing, though the British actor rarely discusses his faith publicly and has described himself as not being Catholic despite his mother’s devout belief.
Quick Profile: Tom Hardy
| Full Name | Edward Thomas Hardy |
| Date of Birth | September 15, 1977 |
| Place of Birth | Hammersmith, London, England |
| Height | 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) |
| Nationality | British |
| Famous For | Venom, Mad Max, The Dark Knight Rises, Peaky Blinders |
| Net Worth | Approximately $55 million (2025) |
| Religion | None (raised Catholic) |
What Religion Is Tom Hardy?
Tom Hardy was born and raised in London, England, and is a strange mix of Catholic and not Catholic. He has a rather large tattoo of the Virgin Mary on his left arm, which would make you think he is or was a devout Catholic. He has also been seen wearing a crucifix around his neck.
However, in one interview, with a laugh, he played down his devotion to the faith of his childhood, saying his mother comes from an Irish family of eight and she’s Catholic and he’s not, so she’s going into hell and he’s going into limbo. When asked by an Italian actor on The Dark Knight Rises set why he had a tattoo in Italian, Hardy told him that he loves the Catholic religion and the Pope, though the actor found this pretty weird.
Hardy is presumed to be raised Catholic due to his large tattoo of the Virgin Mary. The successful actor doesn’t speak publicly about his faith. This makes it difficult to determine exactly where Hardy stands on matters of religion. His relationship with Catholicism appears to be one of cultural connection rather than active practice, though he has expressed affection for certain aspects of the faith.
Growing up with an Irish Catholic mother meant Hardy was exposed to the traditions, rituals, and teachings of the Catholic Church. His mother’s Irish heritage brought with it a strong Catholic cultural identity that is common among Irish families. However, as Hardy himself has indicated with humor, he chose not to follow the same religious path as his mother.
The way Hardy speaks about religion suggests someone who respects his religious roots without necessarily embracing all the doctrines and practices. This kind of relationship with faith is common among many people raised in religious households who drift away from formal practice as adults while still carrying cultural and emotional connections to their upbringing.
Early Life
Tom Hardy was born Edward Thomas Hardy on 15 September 1977 in Hammersmith, London. He is the only child of Anne Hardy (née Barrett), an artist and painter, and Edward “Chips” Hardy, a novelist and comedy writer. His family moved to the London suburb of East Sheen when he was young. Hardy’s mother’s side is Irish and Catholic, which influenced his early life, he even has an Irish leprechaun tattoo for heritage. He attended Tower House School and Reed’s School, and later Duff Miller Sixth Form College. After school he studied acting, first at Richmond Drama School and then at London’s Drama Centre, which laid the foundation for his career.
In his youth, Hardy struggled with alcohol and drugs. He has spoken openly about going “off the rails” as a teenager, getting into trouble and battling addiction. Around 2003 he went through rehabilitation and turned his life around. Those experiences of overcoming addiction have shaped him significantly. (Before his acting career took off, a 19-year-old Hardy even won a “Face of the Year” modeling contest in 1998 – a hint of his early celebrity appeal.)
Career Highlights
Tom Hardy broke into acting in the early 2000s with small but memorable roles. His first screen appearances were in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers (2001) and Ridley Scott’s war film Black Hawk Down (2001). He then played a villain in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) and had supporting parts in British films like Layer Cake. His breakout came with the lead in Bronson (2008), where he portrayed Britain’s most violent prisoner with total immersion; this role established him as an actor willing to transform physically and psychologically for a part.
Hardy’s career accelerated in the 2010s. He played suave con artists and intense antiheroes alike, he was a forger in Inception (2010), an English spy in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), and the savage warlord Bane in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises (2012) – a performance noted for its strange, gravelly voice. In Warrior (2011) and Lawless (2012) he showed action chops, and in Legend (2015) he took on the unique challenge of playing twin gangsters (the Kray brothers) in one film.
The year 2015 marked major milestones. Hardy starred as the legendary road warrior in Mad Max: Fury Road, a blockbuster hit, and that same year earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor as Fitzgerald in The Revenant. He re-teamed with Nolan for Dunkirk (2017), and later became a comic-book hero in Sony’s Venom (2018) and its sequels (2018–2024). Alongside film, Hardy co-created and headlined the gritty period drama Taboo (2017) for BBC/FX, playing brooding antihero James Delaney. Throughout, Hardy has alternated big-budget projects with intense character roles, building a reputation as one of Britain’s most versatile leading men.
Tom Hardy Series and Television Work
While Hardy is best known for his film work, his television performances have been equally impressive and have helped build his reputation as one of the most versatile actors working today.
Hardy’s television roles include the HBO war miniseries Band of Brothers (2001), the BBC historical drama miniseries The Virgin Queen (2005), Bill Sikes in the BBC’s mini-series Oliver Twist (2007), Heathcliff in ITV’s Wuthering Heights (2009) and Alfie Solomons in the BBC crime drama series Peaky Blinders (2014–2022).
His role as Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders became one of his most beloved performances. Alfie is a Jewish gangster who runs a bakery as a front for illegal operations. Hardy’s portrayal was unpredictable, darkly funny, and menacing all at once. Fans were devastated when his character was seemingly killed, and overjoyed when he returned in later seasons. The chemistry between Hardy’s Alfie and Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby created some of the show’s most memorable scenes.
Taboo, which Hardy created with his father and Steven Knight, allowed him to showcase his talents as a producer and writer. Hardy also co-produced and starred in the eight-part BBC One television drama series Taboo. It was created by Hardy, Steven Knight, and Hardy’s father, Edward “Chips” Hardy. The dark, atmospheric period drama set in 1814 London features Hardy as James Delaney, a man believed dead who returns to England with dark secrets and even darker plans. The series showcased Hardy’s ability to carry a complex narrative and demonstrated his growing power as a creative force behind the camera.
Hardy’s television work has allowed him to take on longer, more complex character arcs that can be developed over multiple episodes. While his film roles often require him to create fully formed characters in limited screen time, television has given him the space to explore characters with more nuance and depth.
Currently, Hardy stars in Guy Ritchie’s MobLand which premiered 30 March 2025 on Paramount+. It features Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren as heads of the Harrigan crime family. This latest series continues Hardy’s tradition of choosing challenging, complex roles in quality television productions.
Personal Life and Family
Hardy married Sarah Ward, a producer, in 1999, and they divorced in 2004. The breakdown of his first marriage was largely attributed to his struggles with addiction, which were at their worst during this period.
He met and began dating the assistant director Rachael Speed on the set of The Virgin Queen in 2005, and they later had a son before separating in 2009. That year, he began a relationship with the actress Charlotte Riley after they met on the set of Wuthering Heights, and they were married in July 2014.
Hardy and British actor Charlotte Riley have been married for almost a decade, having first tied the knot on the 4th of July all the way back in 2014. It’s a union that sparked after the future couple first met in 2009, on the set of a lavish period drama that teamed the two stars as a pair of romantic literary heavyweights. They played Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff in the ITV adaptation of Wuthering Heights, and their on-screen chemistry translated into real life.
Together they have two children, a son born in October 2015 and a son born in December 2018. Hardy is also father to Louis Thomas Hardy, born in 2008 from his relationship with Rachael Speed. Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley share a beautiful family life. Hardy is also a devoted father to his son Louis, who he shares with ex-partner Rachael Speed.
Tom and Charlotte are fiercely private when it comes to their family. They’ve been so successful in protecting their family that no details, including names and photos of their two children, have been shared in the public domain. The couple has never revealed the names or genders of their two children together, preferring to keep their family life entirely separate from their public careers.
It has, however, been previously reported that the family relocated away from London in 2018. Now, the family have sought peace and quiet in Surrey, and it’s a decision that Tom insisted was “the best they ever made”. Surrey offers beautiful countryside hills and walks, along with more bustling towns like Guildford close by. It also has great travel links to the capital, which is handy when Charlotte and Tom are busy working on film or television projects.
In an interview with Esquire, he opened up about rural living, explaining that during the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, they were fortunate to take it in their stride with home-schooling and making sourdough. The experience had helped him to reevaluate what is important, which could ultimately have a big impact on his career.
“I think there’s less reason to work, ultimately, because the life-drive is to be with the kids and to be fit and healthy and eat well and stuff,” the actor explained. “If you’ve got a roof over your head and a bed underneath you and food in the fridge, how much is enough?“
It’s not often Tom opens up about being a dad, however, the Venom star did chat to HELLO! in 2015, when he and Charlotte were expecting their first child together. “Being a father has given me the kind of purpose that makes you think more carefully about how you live your life,” he said.
The birth of his first son, Louis, in 2008 was a turning point for Hardy. It was Louis who inspired him to get sober and stay sober. Hardy has said that becoming a father forced him to think beyond his own selfish desires and consider the kind of man and role model he wanted to be.
“There is no harder and more important job on the planet than parenting,” he said in a 2018 cover story for Esquire. “You’ve got the military, police, doctors, service personnel with massive respect, huge consequences but parenting? It’s beyond a job, isn’t it.”
Charlotte Riley has also spoken warmly about being a stepmother to Louis. In a 2015 interview with You Magazine, Charlotte said, “Louis is four and the most incredible, intelligent, creative little human being I have ever met. He is amazing. I feel very honoured to be his stepmum.”
They had one rescue dog, Woodstock, and Hardy appeared with Woodstock in a PETA advertisement to promote pet adoption. Woodstock died on 5 June 2017 due to an aggressive case of polymyositis at 6 years old. The loss of Woodstock was deeply felt by Hardy, who is known for his love of animals, particularly dogs.
