Tom Hardy was born in London in 1977 as Edward Thomas Hardy. The actor-rapper has earned fame working across films and television after attending the Drama Centre London and making his big screen debut in 2001 with Black Hawk Down.
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While films like Star Trek: Nemesis, Bronson, and Warrior gained him recognition, Tom Hardy gained international prominence after starring in the 2012 Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, followed by the 2015 blockbuster, Mad Max: Fury Road.
More recently, Tom Hardy has starred as Eddie Brock in the Venom trilogy, set in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. The actor’s small-screen acting credits include Wuthering Heights and Peaky Blinders, among others. Yesterday, September 15, was Tom Hardy’s 49th birthday. On that note, today’s quote is an excerpt from his 2018 interview with BBC Radio 1.
What did Tom Hardy say?
In one segment of the interview, Tom Hardy had to answer questions posed to him by children. One of them was Jimmy, aged six and a half. Jimmy shared that he loved goldfish because he thought that they were golden, and then asked the actor if he loved goldfish more than humans.
While the actor responded to the question with humour, the answer carried a profound depth, which the interviewer pointed out as well. The actor stated:
“All sentient beings are important, you know, so I don’t think you can love anything (more than the other), it’s not sentient more than the other. And we can see ourselves in all living things. So one has to care about everything and approach it with love. Unless, of course, it attacks you. In which case, lovingly, see it off with a big stick. But love all things, buddy. Unless it’s coming at you, mate. (In which case) dispatch it with love.”
What is the relevance of Tom Hardy’s quote?
In a world where fear and prejudice often guide actions with serious consequences, Tom Hardy’s message that calls for love and respect for all sentient beings is a soothing thing to hear. The universe is massive, and life in the universe is diverse. Yet we all share sentience, which should be cherished while being explored.
However, Tom Hardy also cautions against being naive in his appreciation of all sentient life forms, which makes the quote even more important. He acknowledges that some beings may try to hurt others, whether it be a part of the cycle of life, or otherwise (as in the case of human beings); in such a case, it is completely alright to protect oneself, but not by losing the love in our hearts.
