Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy gave audiences a realistic story of Gotham like none that had ever been told before. Nolan's creative choices shine through in every bit of the Dark Knight films, which had a significant influence on familiar characters of the DC comics.
Fans who knew Bane would be joining the cast of characters would have likely been expecting the Bane they're most familiar with, a Hulk-like, venom pumped, Latino man. Still, audiences were presented with someone entirely different. Whether viewers were disappointed by Tom Hardy's Bane or not, his performance was an impressionable one. There are multiple reasons why Hardy's Bane is worth acknowledgment.
10 His Weight Gain Caused Him Pain
Tom Hardy didn't carry the same physique as Bane before being cast. Instead, he went through a transformation to achieve the semblance that he was as large and intimidating as the comic version of Bane. Unfortunately, that transformation came at a cost when Tom Hardy jumped into multiple training sessions every day to gain 30 pounds of muscle mass.
His hard work paid off in accomplishing the look of a massive brute able to break Batman's back. However, he's previously mentioned how gaining that much weight in such a short time frame caused permanent damage to his joints, making day-to-day tasks difficult.
9 The Inspiration Behind The Iconic Voice
Whether it's effectively haunting or too strange, Bane's accent in The Dark Knight Rises is the topic of many discussions. Hardy's voice certainly stands out for some reason, especially knowing Hardy doesn't sound a bit like Bane in real life.
Tom Hardy has stated that the inspiration behind his voice in The Dark Knight Rises was a real-life Irish traveler and boxer named Bartley Gorman. Gorman retired from boxing in the early '90s and passed away in 2002. Gorman's unique tone of voice lives on in the DC universe, as does the knowledge of his athletic presence, thanks to Hardy.
8 He's A Fan Of Batman
Tom Hardy has been a fan of the Batman comics since he was a child, and getting to portray one of the most popular villains in The Dark Knight Rises was something he took to heart. He cherished the idea that getting his character right was just as critical as making sure his character was a worthy foe against his favorite superhero. Although, he has mentioned that he found it difficult to fight Batman, an iconic figure from his childhood and a character he deeply respects.
7 He Wasn't Tall Enough
As if altering his physical mass wasn't enough, Tom Hardy also had to gain a few inches in height to pass for the terrifying villain. Hardy is 5"9, which isn't particularly intimidating when Bane is going up against Christian Bale's six-foot Batman.
The solution to this height issue was a combination of shooting low-angle shots to make him seem taller and the use of platform shoes. His thick wedged shoes (which were not always visible on screen) gave him at least three inches to appear just a bit taller than Batman.
6 He Had To Re-Record His Lines
When Christopher Nolan screened The Dark Knight Rises to test audiences before its theatrical release, he realized people had a difficult time understanding most of what Tom Hardy was saying as Bane. His thick accent was muffled by Bane's famous mask.
It was back to the drawing board, and through the use of ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement), Hardy re-recorded most of his lines as Bane in a controlled studio setting. Chances are, what viewers are hearing in most parts of The Dark Knight Rises is Tom Hardy's voice added over his past performance.
5 He Didn't Read The Script
Tom Hardy didn't read The Dark Knight Rises script prior to being cast in the film. Hardy, having gained a professional relationship and friendship with Christopher Nolan after working on Inception together, didn't need much convincing to play Bane in Nolan's third Batman film.
Nolan warned Tom Hardy that most of his face would be covered and he would have to emote with just his eyes, voice, and movements. That didn't stop Hardy from signing on immediately.
4 They Had To Hide His Tattoos
It's not uncommon for actors to have tattoos that may need to be covered up with a bit of makeup. However, Christopher Nolan went against usual tactics to conceal Hardy's 30 tattoos.
Tom Hardy's collection of tattoos spans from arm to arm and across his chest. Since Bane is sometimes seen in just a vest or completely shirtless, Hardy's tattoos had to be covered when he played Bane. Instead of just using foundation and concealer, they used CGI to completely camouflage the actor's tatted body.
3 The Source Of His Mask
The audiences are told various perspectives about where Bane came from and his motives. There's even mention why Bane wears the intricate mask, being the presumption that he might have gone through some back-alley surgical procedure when he was in the underground prison.
He uses a steady stream of painkillers to ease the discomfort caused by that event (though audiences never witness it), and there's no mention of the typical venom making him stronger like it does in the comics. Still, they never mention where this mask came from. From the idea that someone in prison must have created it, or he made it himself, it would have been interesting to see his first interaction with the mask.
2 Ad-Libbing A Lovely Voice
Many actors improvise during filming and often, this improvisation will be kept. Tom Hardy improvised a line in The Dark Knight Rises. During The Dark Knight Rises, Bane is casually strolling into the football stadium pre-destruction to make his speech.
A little boy sings the national anthem in a voice so pure that even Bane took enough notice to comment on it. Tom Hardy took the slightest liberty in saying, "That's a lovely, lovely voice," and the memorable line stayed.
1 He Enjoys Knitting
For those unfamiliar with the works of Charles Dickens, they might not know the script for The Dark Knight Rises was loosely inspired by A Tale Of Two Cities. Though there are a few references to A Tale Of Two Cities, one of the prominent ones involves Tom Hardy's Bane.
In the courtroom scene where the Scarecrow (Dr. Crane) is dolling out sentences, Bane can be seen off to the side, knitting. While audiences might be confused and assume Bane just enjoys knitting, it's actually a reference to one of the characters in Dickens' book, Madame Defarge, who is a fan of knitting and villainy.