Tom Hardy: Bronson isn’t a monster
“Bronson,” which opens UK theaters on March 13, 2009, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn – no stranger to the criminal milieu on the evidence of his “Pusher” trilogy – the film takes a sideways glance at a ‘monster’ whose aggressive, often counter-intuitive exploits highlight paradoxes in the penal system as well as presenting a charismatic, vicious rogue who, to this day, playfully escapes easy appraisal from behind his cell door.
Charles Bronson (born Michael Gordon Peterson), who has spent a total of 131 days as a free man, however, has been pivotal in the script’s development, and has worked closely with writers and producers to make sure that the most salient (and brutal) details of his life make it to the screen intact.
At first, a request by the producers of a movie about his life to have actor Tom Hardy visit him in jail was initially denied. Actually, in 1999, Bronson kidnapped a teacher visiting Fulsom Prison, working with five others to hold the visitor hostage at knifepoint for nearly two days. Though the teacher was not hurt, it landed former boxer back in jail at the high-security Wakefield facility with a life sentence.
He has been limited to solitary confinement since the 1999 incident, however, when Bronson threatened to sue, the ruling was reversed.
Tom Hardy, who plays the criminal in crime-biopic told that he refused to judge the man he was portraying. He has admitted to growing fond of Britain’s most violent prisoner Charles Bronson.
“Over the past four years I was speaking to him two or three times a week,” Hardy said. “I grew very fond of him actually. He’s a very articulate, gentle, funny and clever man.”
“I had to put his past and facts behind him and my job was to study, observe and reflect a man who was in front of me. There was no judgement from me, and I wanted to get as close to his characteristics and hear as many of his stories as I could to help my performance.”
Hardy acknowledged that coming face-to-face with Bronson, who was jailed in 1974 for a failed armed robbery and had his sentence extended for repeated violent offences in prison, was a “very odd situation”. “I obviously can’t speak for any of his victims and I can only speak of my personal experiences.”
“The man I met wasn’t a monster – massive anger problems yes, and hugely charismatic, but very insightful and interesting,” Hardy added.
“I always like a challenge,” he says. “I like character work, a transformation where you get to change everything: face, shape, accent and daily routine.” From the few snaps available on the internet of the real Bronson, he looks the part.
Great New Bronson Poster
The quad poster for the upcoming drama “Bronson,” has been released.
The notorious life of the UK’s “most violent prisoner” serves as the subject of Pusher Trilogy director Nicolas Winding Refn’s brutal biopic.
Born Michael Peterson but later renamed by his fight promoter, Charles Bronson’s sole ambition in life was to become famous. Surmising that the fastest means of accomplishing his goal with such limited opportunities was to cultivate a stylized persona as a hardened criminal, the ambitious do-badder embraced a desperate existence of extreme savagery.
But who is the real man behind the warped persona? Seeing as how twenty-eight of Bronson’s thirty-four years behind bars were spent in solitary confinement, that’s a difficult question to answer. The terror of the legend comes to vivid life, however, as director Refn explores the twisted alternate reality created by Bronson, and highlights precisely how the controversial criminal staged himself within that anarchistic world.
“Bronson” had its premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January and after that the movie has been shown at European Film Market (Germany), The Jameson Dublin International Film Festival and at Glasgow Film Festival.
Bronson – Interviews With Tom Hardy And Director
The life of the UK’s “most violent prisoner” serves as the subject of director Nicolas Winding Refn’s biopic “Bronson“. We’ve got for you today interview with the director and also with Tom Hardy who plays Charles Bronson in the movie. Check out the trailers for “Bronson” below.
Born Mickey Peterson but later renamed by his fight promoter, Charles Bronson’s sole ambition in life was to become famous. Surmising that the fastest means of accomplishing his goal with such limited opportunities was to cultivate a stylized persona as a hardened criminal, the ambitious do-badder embraced a desperate existence of extreme savagery. But who is the real man behind the warped persona?
Originally sentenced to 7 years in prison for burglary, Charles Bronson has been behind bars for 34 years, 30 of which have been spent in solitary confinement. Charlie has forged an outrageous reputation through violence, hostage taking and rooftop protests to become a notorious figure in the British public’s consciousness.
Seeing as how twenty-eight of Bronson’s thirty-four years behind bars were spent in solitary confinement, that’s a difficult question to answer. The terror of the legend comes to vivid life, however, as director Refn explores the twisted alternate reality created by Bronson, and highlights precisely how the controversial criminal staged himself within that anarchistic world.
“Bronson” had its premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January and after that the movie has been shown at European Film Market (Germany), The Jameson Dublin International Film Festival and at Glasgow Film Festival.
