“I’ve had two knee surgeries now, my disc’s herniated in my back, I’ve got sciatica as well,” Hardy disclosed during a recent interview. “And I have that… is it plantar fasciitis? Where did that come from? And why? Why?! And I pulled my tendon in my hip as well. It’s like, it’s all falling to bits now, and it’s not going to get better.”
The price of passion runs deep for Tom Hardy, whose seven-year journey with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and decades of action-packed film roles have left their mark on his 47-year-old body. The British actor has opened up about the extensive physical toll his dual pursuits have taken, revealing a catalog of injuries that reads like a medical textbook.
The injuries stem from Hardy’s late-blooming but intense relationship with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which he began at age 40. What started as a way to break free from the isolation of solo training for film roles has become a defining passion that has reshaped both his personal life and professional approach to action sequences.
Hardy’s introduction to BJJ came through a local gym near his home, though he initially felt intimidated by the martial arts community.
“I’ve always been a bit nervous of the martial arts community, because I thought, ‘Well, that’s… this is for them, not for me.’ I didn’t feel like, uh, I didn’t feel that maybe it was for me, because I was intimidated, maybe,”
he admitted.
His early training was born out of necessity and loneliness.
“It was late… late in my… I was, um, it was very late in the day. I was 40, so 7 years ago. And I trained to get big or small for a film, but on my own, you know. I like… very lonely, boring. And you just change, and it’s not good for your body. And there’s no people, there’s no game, you know.”
Despite his reservations, Hardy found the BJJ community welcoming, and the sport quickly became more than just physical training.
“It gives me a level of honest confidence,”
he explained, describing how the martial art has evolved into a form of meditation rather than competition.
“Now it’s more of a meditation or relaxing… I have no competitive spirit. I don’t need to win, I don’t care… I always get beaten, but that’s okay.”
The knee surgeries represent the most significant casualties of his BJJ dedication.
“One was from a sweep, and the other one was actually from the meniscus tear,”
Hardy revealed. These setbacks haven’t deterred his commitment to the sport – he continues training two to three times per week even while filming.
“I do do Gi too, like, um, maybe two or three times a week when I’m filming.”
Hardy’s BJJ expertise has seamlessly integrated into his film work, particularly in his action sequences. Stunt coordinators have learned to incorporate his grappling skills into choreography, though Hardy remains modest about his abilities.
The collaborative nature of his stunt work reflects his BJJ background.
“The stuntman they know I like Jiu-Jitsu so they choke me… there’s always I think because people know that I like to play they feel more comfortable when they play and so they also understand that Tommy is never going to be a Kung like Kung Fu karate this is not good for Tom… so maybe throw punches for you… my heads my elbows you know like grabing maybe a little bit.”
This integration became particularly evident in his Venom trilogy, where Hardy’s grappling experience influenced the alien symbiote’s action style. The films, which earned $1.8 billion globally across three installments, showcased Hardy’s ability to blend his martial arts knowledge with his character work.
Beyond the physical benefits, BJJ has provided Hardy with something he didn’t find in traditional gym training – community and personal growth. He now helps teach children’s classes at his local academy and has competed in tournaments, winning gold medals in his weight category at competitions in Wolverhampton and Milton Keynes.
The sport’s philosophy of submission and ego management resonates deeply with Hardy’s approach to both martial arts and acting.
“It’s a submission sport,”
he explained.
“It’s about stopping your opponent. They submit to defeat, or you choke them, shutting off the carotid artery so the blood doesn’t go to the brain. But once you isolate a limb — an arm or a leg — and put pressure through the joint, and it’s correctly applied, you needn’t go any further. It’s a fait accompli. It’s done. You are done. Only your ego will take you any further.”
This lesson in humility has become central to Hardy’s personal development.
“I think it’s good to start at the bottom and be [—] at something, but if you keep going, you get better,”
he reflected, emphasizing the value of persistence and humility.
Despite the mounting injuries and the physical demands of both his film career and martial arts training, Hardy shows no signs of slowing down. Now a purple belt – just two ranks away from black belt – he remains committed to his BJJ journey.
