World renowned photographer Danny Lyon, who inspired Tom Hardy's new film The Bikeriders, has claimed that he was told not to look at the actor, 46, while visiting the set.
Lyon, who served time alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and rode with the notorious Chicago Outlaws, recounted his journey to meet the British actor in Cincinnati.
In his memoir, This Is My Life I’m Talking About, the 82-year-old claimed that he never had the chance to meet the star because he was cautioned against making eye contact with him.
Instead, he was instructed to observe from behind a tree.
The photographer said: “They tried to keep me away, but I finally get there. It's f***ing freezing. I just want to meet Tom Hardy.
“He gets on set and they say, 'You can't look at him'. I said, 'What do you mean? Why can't I look at him?' They say, 'Oh, he doesn't like it'.
“So, they make me hide behind a tree and all this bulls**t.”
The Standard has contacted Tom Hardy’s rep for comment.
Lyons's claims follow closely after Sir Patrick Stewart discussed Hardy's distant demeanour on set at the beginning of his career on Star Trek: Nemesis.
The actor, who played Jean-Luc Picard in the sci-fi series, wrote in his memoir that they never developed a strong relationship during filming nor did he with any other cast member, citing how Hardy opted to spend time in his trailer instead.
Stewart wrote: “I didn't have a single exciting scene to play, and the actor who portrayed the movie's villain, Shinzon, was an odd, solitary young man from London.
“His name was Tom Hardy.
“Tom wouldn't engage with any of us on a social level. Never said, 'Good morning,' never said, 'Goodnight,' and spent the hours he wasn't needed on set in his trailer with his girlfriend.”
Despite describing his chilly interactions with Hardy, he made sure to emphasise that the Inception actor was “no means hostile” but “just challenging to establish any rapport with”.
Stewart also admitted that he didn’t believe Hardy’s career would take off after their experience but said, “it gives me nothing but pleasure that Tom has proven me so wrong.”
