Edward Thomas Hardy, CBE (born 15 September 1977) is an English actor and producer. His film debut was in Ridley Scott's action film Black Hawk Down (2001). His other notable films include the science fiction film Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), the crime film RocknRolla (2008), biographical psychological drama Bronson (2008), sports drama Warrior (2011), Cold War espionage film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), crime drama Lawless (2012), drama Locke (2013), mobster film The Drop (2014), and the biographical western thriller The Revenant (2015), for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He portrayed "Mad" Max Rockatansky in the post-apocalyptic film Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), and both of the Kray twins in the crime thriller Legend (2015). He has appeared in three Christopher Nolan films: the science fiction thriller Inception (2010), the superhero film The Dark Knight Rises (2012), as Bane, and the action-thriller Dunkirk (2017), based on the British evacuation in World War II. Hardy will play the comic-book anti-hero Eddie Brock/Venom in a live-action film adaptation of the same name, set to be released in 2018.
Hardy's television roles include the HBO war drama miniseries Band of Brothers (2001), the BBC historical drama miniseries The Virgin Queen (2005), ITV's Wuthering Heights (2008), the Sky 1 drama series The Take (2009), and the BBC historical crime drama series Peaky Blinders from 2013 to 2017. He created, co-produced and took the lead in the eight-part historical fiction series Taboo (2017) on BBC One and FX.
Hardy has performed on both British and American stages. He was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer for his role as Skank in the production of In Arabia We'd All Be Kings (2003), and was awarded the 2003 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performances in both In Arabia We'd All Be Kings and for his role as Luca in Blood. He starred in the production of The Man of Mode (2007) and received positive reviews for his role in the play The Long Red Road (2010).
Hardy is active in charity causes and is an ambassador for the Prince's Trust. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2018 Birthday Honours, for services to drama.