The stories surrounding the production of Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s upcoming period thriller The Revenant are as compelling as the intense trailers. The shoot itself is a growing legend almost daily, with stories of desperate times and Leonardo DiCaprio sleeping inside a dead carcass to prep for his role as a man left for dead in the wilderness.
DiCaprio’s co-star, and everyone’s favorite new cinematic tough guy, Tom Hardy, recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly about filming, and said he and Iñárritu got into a wrestling match behind the scenes:
“When things get a bit too serious, I go, ‘Why don’t we have a cuddle in front of all these people here?’ It ends with both of us falling down in the snow. I think that’s a good thing. If I’m the naughty boy for doing that, then I’d rather be the naughty boy and release that tension… He’s unlike any director I’ve ever worked with. He sees things how he sees them, so to give him back what he wants is quite an interesting experience. It could drive you f—ing nuts.”
Iñárritu responded, saying “On the surface, he can look inaccessible or difficult. But he is just a beautiful human being. He’s incredibly sensitive and lovable.”
It’s a strange thing with Tom Hardy. He appears to butt heads with directors all the time, yet the directors love him for it. He isn’t difficult for difficulties sake, not someone like Val Kilmer necessarily. He’s doing it all in the name of creativity and bringing energy to the film and his role in particular. That’s why I dig the guy.
The Revenant hits theaters in a limited release on Christmas, then goes to wide release in early January 8.