Tom Hardy may have nailed the tough guy persona, from his tattooed appearance to his villain roles such as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, but in real life, the actor admitted it is very much the opposite dynamic in his marriage with Charlotte Riley.
He described his wife, whom he married in 2014, as "tough" and revealed she has set down rules in their relationship.
During a 2018 interview with Cosmo about his part as bartender Bob Saginowski, who gets involved in a world of crime, in The Drop, Tom was quizzed about how much his on-screen character mirrored his persona away from the cameras (crime aside, of course).
He replied: "Ha! Me? Tough? No! My fiancée (now wife) Charlotte has, pound for pound, a better punch than I do!"
© Mike MarslandThis was not new information, given that the actor had revealed that his wife is more than capable of standing up for herself and prevents him from getting involved in physical fights on her behalf.
"She says, 'I have to stop him from standing up for a woman's honor all the bloody time.' That's what my missus says," he joked to ELLE.
Equal partnership
© GettyThe MobLand star met Peaky Blinders star Charlotte Riley on the set of period drama Wuthering Heights.
They are thought to live in Surrey with their two kids, born in 2015 and in 2019, and Tom's son Louis from his previous relationship.
While they have remained very private about their personal life, including keeping the names and identities of their young children under wraps, they have shared a few rare details about how they divide chores behind closed doors.
Speaking to The Herald newspaper, Charlotte said they had an equal partnership, praising Tom as being "great around the house".
© David M. BenettAccording to Charisse Cooke, a London-based MNCPS-accredited psychotherapist, online educator, author of The Attachment Solution book, and relationship expert at Flirtini dating app, this is a sign of a "modern" and "fair" marriage, which will lead to a better emotional and physical connection and a more long-lasting union.
"Sharing domestic chores between partners is not just practical, it’s healthy, modern, and undeniably attractive. In today's world, where both partners often work, expecting one person to shoulder the majority of housework is outdated and unfair," she said.
"A balanced approach leads to greater respect, teamwork, and emotional connection, making home life feel like a shared effort rather than a burden."
Charisse added: "When men actively participate in housework, women report feeling more emotionally connected and even more attracted to their partners. There’s something undeniably sexy about a partner who sees household tasks as a joint responsibility rather than 'helping out'."
