While fans wait for upcoming DC movies to drop, many rank the Batman movies, and often, Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy ranks among the top of the heap, leaving a permanent mark on pop culture. Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises left a lasting image in everyone’s collective minds, and apparently, fans aren’t ready to let it go. In a recent interview, Hardy revealed how he reacts when he’s asked to do the now-infamous Bane voice, and it’s pretty hilarious–if not a little mischievous.
In a video clip shared by the Huffington Post UK on Instagram, the Havoc star revealed that people still ask him to break out the iconic Bane voice more than a decade after the Batman film hit theaters. However, Hardy’s response to those requests is so on barnd. In the video below, he told the outlet he gets “great pride” in telling people no:
The room erupted in laughter, and the Mad Max alum, always one to double down on a joke, leaned into the moment. “Just a little bit of power… because I can. And I’ll do it for myself later,” he said with a laugh. “Especially children. Saying no to children… ‘No.’”
It’s a perfect snapshot of Tom Hardy‘s signature offbeat charm. He knows the fans love it, and he loves having just enough control to tease them. His muffled, menacing, and strangely poetic take on Bane became instantly memeable in 2012 and remains one of the most imitated villain voices of modern cinema. But Hardy isn’t eager to turn into a novelty act.
That reluctance is part of what makes him so compelling as an actor. Whether Mad Max: Fury Road, Venom or his latest gritty action film, Havoc, which we have been waiting YEARS for, the English-born A-lister brings intensity and unpredictability to every role. He doesn’t traffic in nostalgia or gimmicks, unless he chooses to, in private, for his own amusement.
Fans hoping to hear Hardy whisper “You merely adopted the dark…” in person might be disappointed. But, judging by the playful glint in his eye, it’s not personal but a bit of a sport. He’s in on the joke. He just doesn’t offer impressions or performances for free.
Still, Havoc marks a new chapter for Tom Hardy. The Gareth Evans-directed crime thriller, which is now available to stream with a Netflix subscription, puts Hardy back in the driver’s seat as a bruised and battered detective navigating a criminal underworld. While there are no masks or capes this time, there’s plenty of physical intensity and absolutely brutal kills.
While you likely won’t hear him doing the Bane voice at a Q&A anytime soon, if you have a Max subscription, you can stream The Dark Knight Rises and enjoy Bane at your leisure.
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