Tom Hardy says his body is 'falling to bits' after doing intense action roles: 'Not going to get better'

SURREY, ENGLAND: Tom Hardy has opened up about his declining physical health after years of performing physically demanding roles and participating in martial arts competitions.

The 46-year-old actor, known for intense performances and action-packed roles, recently admitted his body is struggling to recover after years of wear and tear.

Tom Hardy reveals lasting damage from stunts and martial arts competitions

During an interview with Esquire UK, Tom Hardy shared a detailed list of his injuries from acting and real-life martial arts tournaments.

“I’ve had two knee surgeries now, my disc’s herniated in my back, I’ve got sciatica as well,” Hardy said.

He continued with a mix of disbelief and humor, “And I have that… is it plantar fasciitis? Where did that come from? And why? Why?”

Hardy also mentioned another injury affecting his mobility. “And I pulled my tendon in my hip as well,” he said. “It’s like, it’s all falling to bits now, and it’s not going to get better.”

Despite his health concerns, Hardy is open to possible treatments.

When asked if he would consider stem cell therapy, he responded, “Probably, yeah.” He added, “I think if it comes down to the wire and it seems the sensible thing to do and I take advice.”

Tom Hardy opens up about fear and vulnerability in his early boxing journey

Tom Hardy remains active in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and reflects on his early experience with boxing.

“I did the posturing bit of boxing and hitting mitts, and trying to be a bloke,” he said.

“But ultimately I was sort of scared of blokes, because there’s so many of them, and there’s always one stronger than you," he continued. 

He added that while one is supposed to be able to look after oneself in this wicked world, it's a numbers game—and being the strongest isn't always possible.

"So eventually I was like, ‘Just have a go, who cares who wins.’ And of course I care who wins, but you spend the first couple of years trying to forget it. You’re not winning anything. It’s very humiliating, in the right way," he said, according to Page Six. 

Tom Hardy stars in two high-profile projects across Paramount+ and Netflix

Tom Hardy is currently starring in 'MobLand' alongside Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren on Paramount+ and also appears in Gareth Evans’ 'Havoc', which began streaming on Netflix in late April.

Hardy also spoke about wrapping up his comic book character arc as Eddie Brock in the 'Venom trilogy'.

“I loved playing Eddie in ‘Venom,’” Hardy told Esquire. “Juggling chainsaws… Put me on a unicycle and throw everything at me! I was just really trying to push myself as much as I could.”

However, he pointed out what was missing in his Marvel journey. “But I had no Spider-Man! No Avengers! It’s just us,” said Hardy.

“Until those bridges are crossed… That’s way beyond my control. And I’d love to do that, but that’s not even a conversation to have at my level, of just being an actor in that world," Hardy said. 

The actor’s final film in the trilogy, 'Venom: The Last Dance', released in 2025, grossed $478 million worldwide, according to Variety. The original Venom in 2018 made $856 million globally.

Brady is well known for getting physical on screen, be it as Bane in 'The Dark Knight Rises' or as Max Rockatansky in 'Mad Max: Fury Road.' Films such as 'The Revenant', 'Warrior', and the 'Venom' trilogy have also gotten Hardy bruised and battered over the years.