Movies - TV
Warrior's Fights Weren't Always Fake For Joel Edgerton And Tom Hardy
By LYVIE SCOTT
While no sensible actor hopes to get injured while filming an action movie, it is one of the occupational hazards, especially when you’re required to train for your own stunts. Tom Hardy is no stranger to the process, but his 2011 film “Warrior” is one of his most intense, as he and Joel Edgerton play estranged brothers who face off in the final match of an MMA tournament.
Hardy sustained several injuries while training for the role, saying, “I broke my ribs, I broke my foot, I tore ligaments in my right hand, and I took a real smashing.” Edgerton explained, “You couldn’t really be an actor in this process without getting knocked around,” before sharing his “shining moment” involved a torn MCL ligament and needing six weeks of rehabilitation.
Still, the most challenging aspect for Hardy seemed to have been acting in the fights, joking, “There wasn’t any room to act, was there? It was so annoying. I want to act, but he keeps hitting me! Not my face!” Hardy and Edgerton knew the risks involved with this project and still gave their all to director Gavin O’Connor’s vision, making one of the greatest sports dramas in the process.