Tom Hardy has revealed that he gets inspiration for film characters from watching episodes of Come Dine With Me.

The 34-year-old is starring in new film Lawless where he plays a bare-knuckle boxer and finds that he can get into character by watching the Channel 4 series.

Not from watching say, Amir Khan then? Nor Ricky Hatton? Not even Paddy Doherty? How random.

Unlikely inspiration

According to the British actor, he watches the cult cookery show because it’s all about reality. Yes, none of it is set up Tom…

“It’s great people-watching. I’ll steal characters from Come Dine With Me. Because they’re real people. I take something from everybody”

Maybe he’ll use Dave Lamb as a muse for his next character’s sense of humour – jeez that guy’s funny.

Lawless

 

Tom's latest film Lawless hits UK cinemas 7 September. Set in Virginia during the great depression, it follows the exploits of three brothers who run a bootlegging organisation, staring Shia LeBouf, Guy Pearce and Gary Oldman.

Talking about his character, despite admitting that he mainly grunts rather than speaks, Tom revealed that his Lawless character was the total opposite to his last character, Batman nemesis Bane.

"He's a specific type of man. What interested me was the female role in this guy. And what the nature of violence is to men. Non-egotistical violence, non-macho violence. Violence from within the cardigan."

Cardigan violence – the actions your Nan resorts to when you eat the last shortbread finger.

Maybe?

Who influenced him the most?

If The Dark Knight Rises actor is watching re-runs of the series, maybe he’s used Sicilian contestant Salvo Riggi as inspiration. The Londoner lost him temper in the series after his food was criticised.

Not overly violent with a hint of femininity. Hilarious.