Tom Hardy is steadfastly promoting Legend at TIFF (after frolicking with puppies for Chatty Man). Although the film may have missed its mark, Hardy is still treating the project with the utmost enthusiasm. Hardy plays a man and his “psychotic gay twin,” so a journalist decided this was an unmissable opportunity to ask Hardy about his own sexuality.
Not a good idea. In this video, Hardy grows very absorbed while discussing the film alongside his colleagues. He’s not annoyed by the question so much as the journalist’s insistence in going off topic while trying (in vain) to tie a gossip-y question to the film’s subject matter. All of this goes down — during an otherwise uneventful press conference — at the 28:00 minute mark. Tom seemed befuddled that the question even came his way: “What on Earth are you on about?” The journalist said he was “referring to an interview given to Attitude magazine a few years ago.” The interview in question featured a statement from Hardy about how he’d experimented. None of this should be relevant to this press conference:
“But what is your question?”
“I was wondering if you find it difficult for celebrities to talk about their sexuality.”
“I don’t find it difficult for celebrities to talk about their sexuality. Are you asking me about my sexuality?”
“Sure.”
“Why?”
“Um.”
“Thank you.”
BOOM. If Hardy had a mic in his hand, he surely would have dropped it. His ease at shutting down this journalist only added to the absurdity of having to field a personal question on the job. Whereas the uncomfortable laughter in the room only serves to inform everyone that no one ever messes with Tom Hardy.
