Tom Hardy’s Hair Through The Years—and How to Get Every Cut

7 min readYou can track Tom Hardy’s life through his haircuts. The floppy, past-the-ears noughties look. The bald Bane era. His Peaky Blinders slick-back. Then there’s the fade he wore on The Revenant press tour and the short-back-and-sides he’s settled into today. He’s been on a proper hair journey over the past couple of decades and, somehow, he’s looked great on every stop along the way.Really, he’s done exactly what every man should do when it comes to hair. You should never have the same haircut at 60 as when you’re 16, so changing it up is essential. Sure, some, for Hardy, were for his roles. He probably wouldn’t have gone for the full shaved look if he hadn’t been cast as a masked supervillain who breaks Batman’s back. But, even so, his go-to now is a long way from the boyband look he wore when he was younger.So, we asked some of London’s best barbers how to get each cut, as well as who each one suits. If you’re anything like Hardy, you’ll suit all six.The soft sweep backKristina Bumphrey//Getty ImagesTom Hardy at the Venom: The Last Dance premiere in New York, October 2024The haircut: Think of this as the slick-back’s more laid-back cousin. “It's a classic textured scissor cut with a low, natural finish,” says Robyn Mulgrew, a senior barber at Ruffians. “It’s kept soft around the ears and nape, with the sides relatively full and enough length to sweep it back.” No harsh fades or sharp lines, just a cut that looks like it grew naturally—and it’s a versatile shape that works for everything from oval to square and round faces.What to ask for: Mulgrew’s advice? Keep it simple: “Don’t overcomplicate it, or you’ll confuse each other,” she says. “Use these key words: textured scissor cut with a low natural taper, swept-back top, styled to give a soft, lived-in finish.” All you need to do now is read it out with the help of a Hardy reference photo—job done.How to style it: The idea is for your hair to look naturally lifted rather than quiffed. “I'd prep with Ruffians Beach Salt Spray, then blow-dry it in, sweeping the hair back and up,” says Mulgrew. “Keep the sides flatter so it still looks smart, then finish with out Matt Clay or Beach Fix for some texture.” Think swept-back beach hair, just the commuter’s version.The soft buzzJohn Phillips//Getty ImagesTom Hardy at a London screening of The Bikeriders, June 2024The haircut: Short, sharp, and no messing about, the soft buzz is for the guys who are confident with clippers. “This is pretty close to a buzz cut, approximately a grade three on top and a grade two on the sides, with a very subtle taper around the edges,” says Maxwell Oakley, co-founder of luxury London barbershop Supply 91. Fair warning, though: there’s nowhere to hide. “It’s quite an exposing haircut, so it works particularly well on someone with a strong hairline,” he says. Square and oval faces with a strong jawline suit it best—but Oakley’s not one for hard rules: “If you wear something with enough confidence, you can pull anything off.”What to ask for: “Ask your barber to use clippers rather than scissors,” says Oakley. “A grade three on top and a grade two on the sides, with a subtle taper through the edges; you could also mention to lightly break into the fringe with the clippers to keep the front looking natural and textured.” Though it might seem simple, it’s so precise that you need someone who knows exactly what they’re doing—so always stick to a good barbershop.How to style it: Less is more. “Avoid anything wet or greasy, as that can make the hair look sparse,” says Oakley. “Keep things matte to bring out the natural texture, with just a little bit of hold; work a small amount of product through for some definition without weighing it down.” Basically, a tiny bit of paste rubbed between your palms and through your hair, and you’re out the door before you can say “buzz cut.”The textured cropJohn Phillips//Getty ImagesTom Hardy at the London premiere of The Revenant, January 2016The haircut: Brent Pankhurst has been cutting hair for more than 30 years, from training under Vidal Sassoon to his shop in the Thom Sweeney townhouse in Mayfair, so he knows a good crop when he sees one. "It’s disheveled elegance,” he says. “It has a relaxed, slightly rugged feel, but the foundation is a strong, carefully considered shape.” It suits most faces, too, as long as the proportions are tailored to you. “For gentlemen approaching their forties and beyond, I often prefer a little more length through the sides for a softer, less harsh finish,” Pankhurst adds.What to ask for: It all starts with the temples: “The most important thing with this haircut—and, for me, every man’s haircut—is to cut a square shape through the temple area,” says Pankhurst. Ask for scissors throughout, with scissor-over-comb on the back and sides, which “gives the haircut better structure and helps it hold its shape as it grows.” You don’t want to be going to the barbers every couple of weeks, after all. The top should be cut with texture for movement and separation; if your hair is thick, ask for more texturing to take out some bulk.How to style it: Work some styling conditioner through damp hair, then give it a quick blow-dry using your fingers. Finish with a nickel-sized amount of molding cream. “Spread it evenly between your palms, then work it vigorously through the hair for that rugged, disheveled finish,” says Pankhurst.The textured slick backPaul Archuleta//Getty ImagesTom Hardy at the FX Starwalk, January 2017The haircut: The slick-back, minus the Wall Street energy. “This is a textured slick-back or flow cut,” says Chris Merrick, head barber at Murdock Soho. “Keeping it relaxed rather than tightly slicked allows the natural movement and texture to come through.” Basically, it should look like you’ve just run your hands through it rather than set it hours earlier. It suits most faces, too. “It works particularly well on oval, square and rounder face shapes; styling the hair back opens up the face and highlights the cheekbones, while some height on top can help elongate a rounder face.”What to ask for: “Ask your barber for a textured slick-back or flow cut, with the sides slightly shorter than the top but enough length throughout to push the hair back,” says Merrick. “You want to retain movement and avoid a traditional short back and sides.”How to style it: Towel dry your hair after showering, leaving it slightly damp, then work in a sea salt spray. “Blow-dry while using your fingers to guide the hair backwards and encourage natural movement,” says Merrick. Finish with a small amount of Murdock Matt Mud, worked between your hands and through the hair for a strong hold with a matte finish.The messy crop Mark Sullivan//Getty ImagesTom Hardy at an LA screening of Bronson, September 2009The haircut: Think of this as the haircut equivalent of rolling out of bed and looking like you meant to. “This is a classic textured cut with a messy, tousled finish,” says Guray Kesman, founder of luxury barbershop Kesman Grooming, “and it’s got that effortlessly undone look that Tom Hardy wears so well.” It’s also one of the most versatile cuts going: the fringe softens the forehead, so it suits oval, square, and longer faces, and it works best on straight to slightly wavy hair with some thickness.What to ask for: “Ask for a scissor-cut textured crop, keeping the sides and back shorter but avoiding a harsh skin fade,” says Kesman. “You’ll want a good amount of length and movement through the top, with the fringe left slightly longer. The key is asking your barber to add texture rather than cutting everything too uniformly, so the hair has that relaxed, lived-in finish.”How to style it: Work a small amount of lightweight styling cream or matte paste through slightly damp hair, then rough-dry it, directing the fringe forwards and slightly to one side. “Use your fingers to separate a few pieces,” says Kesman. “You don’t want it looking too polished or overly styled; a little movement is what makes this cut work.” When it looks like you’ve spent as little time as possible trying to perfect it, you’ve nailed it.The curtainsIan West - PA Images//Getty ImagesTom Hardy at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, November 2003The haircut: If you were around in the ’90s, chances are you’re familiar with curtains—and you probably have the school photos to prove it. “To me, Tom Hardy’s curtains were something of an homage to Jonny Depp,” says Jay Hecker, master barber at Truefitt & Hill, the world’s oldest barbershop based in St. James’s, London. “We've seen this look before—it was everywhere when Brad Pitt broke though with Thelma & Louise and when David Beckham wore it in the ’90s—and you can trace it right back to old Hollywood’s Robert Mitchum.” Now, it’s making a comeback—and it suits most face shapes. “Because the hair is tucked behind the ears, face shape isn’t too much of a factor,” continues Hecker. “And if you want to accentuate your cheekbones, it’s definitely one to consider.”What to ask for: “Ask for layers at the back to take out any weight, and keep most of the length on top so you can tuck it behind your ears,” says Hecker. A center part takes care of the rest. If you’re growing it out from a shorter cut, tell your barber so they can shape it in stages—just make sure you take a visual reference so you’re both on the same page.How to style it: “Apply a cream like our C.A.R. cream or Circassian Cream to towel-dried hair,” says Hecker. “Then use a diffuser on your hairdryer on medium to low speed and heat for that textured finish.” The C.A.R. Cream has some history, too: Truefitt & Hill made it in the early 1900s for members of the Royal Automobile Club to keep their hair in check while driving open-top cars. Your day at the office, then, will probably be safe.