Tom Hardy is one of the UK’s most successful actors, having taken on a wide range of roles over the years, including Venom, MobLand, Legend, Mad Max: Fury Road, Peaky Blinders and The Revenant.
Despite his fame, Tom, 48, keeps his family life largely private. While he has appeared on red carpets with his wife, actress Charlotte Riley, 44, the couple rarely share details about their life with their two children.
While Tom’s two youngest children have never been seen in public, the actor also has an 18-year-old son, Louis Thomas Hardy, whom he shares with his ex-girlfriend Rachael Speed.
The teenager made a rare public appearance in October 2024, attending the premiere of Venom: The Last Dance to support his father. Wearing an all-denim outfit, Louis drew attention from fans, many of whom pointed out his striking resemblance to a young Tom.
© Gareth Cattermole/PA Images/Getty ImagesWhat has Tom said about Louis?
In 2015, Tom spoke exclusively to HELLO! about his relationship with Louis. “Being a father has given me the kind of purpose that makes you think more carefully about how you live your life,” he said. “I made a lot of mistakes and I put my mum and dad through a lot because they were so worried about me.
“I take great pride in being a father and make sure I’m there for him and helping him as he makes his way in the world.”
Louis and Tom’s love of film
Like many fathers and sons, Tom and Louis share a love of film. Tom has revealed that his eldest son even influenced his decision to take on one of his most famous roles, adapted from the Marvel comics.
“My son is a massive Venom fan, and he was a strong influence on why I should play Venom specifically,” Tom said at Sony’s Venom panel at San Diego Comic-Con in 2018. “I wanted to do something my son could watch.”
© Mike Marsland/WireImageLouis also supported his father during the filmmaking process, offering feedback along the way.
“He was pretty much in the driving seat for a lot of it, and I did use him as my anthology and my mythology wizard,” the actor told Entertainment Tonight in 2018. “He told me what I was doing wrong, and I was doing more things wrong than I was doing right because children are deeply honest. He was my little spirit guide in that aspect.”
It seems Louis’ honest feedback paid off, as Tom eventually earned his approval. “As far as I’m concerned, I passed his [test], and that’s the best I can do,” he said.
In 2024, Tom reiterated in an interview with E! News that Louis still shares his opinions on his performances.
© WireImage“I mean, he wouldn’t ever tell me [if he likes it]. “He’s 16, you know what I mean? He told me what I’m getting right or wrong.”
“The next gen – the 2.0 – is designed to be better than you,” Tom added. “But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t back me or support me or look out for me, and he offers information that’s useful to be better with what I do.
“It comes from a position of like, ‘Look, you know this’. He deconstructs what I’m doing like a peer would.”
© GettyFather of three
Alongside Louis, Tom shares two children, one born in October 2015 and one in January 2019, with his wife, Charlotte.
Reflecting on the parenting lessons he’s learned, Tom told Esquire in 2018: “There is no harder and more important job on the planet than parenting. You’ve got the military, police, doctors, service personnel – massive respect, huge consequences – but parenting? It’s beyond a job, isn’t it.”
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