How Tom Hardy's Sexiest Man Alive Joke Ended Up inVenom: The Last Dance: 'You're Not Ryan Reynolds!' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Tom Hardy in Venom: The Last Dance; Ryan Reynolds.Photo:Sony Pictures Entertainment; Taylor Hill/WireImage

Tom Hardy in VENOM: THE LAST DANCE; Ryan Reynolds

Sony Pictures Entertainment; Taylor Hill/WireImage

It’s not personal,Tom Hardy!

The actor, 47, has a bone to pick with thePEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alivemention inVenom: The Last Dance.

While speaking with PEOPLE ahead of the movie’s release, Hardy jokes the dialogue in the scene was to throw him “under the bus.”

Meanwhile, Kelly Marcel, who wrote the screenplays for all threeVenommovies and takes on the directing role for the first time on the third one, says it was her “messing around.”

“We just like to have fun with each other occasionally in the script,” she says.

Mrs. Chen (Peggy Lu) is suprised to see Eddie (Tom Hardy) in Venom: The Last Dance.Lacey Terrell/Sony Pictures Entertainment

Mrs. Chen (Peggy Lu) is suprised to see Eddie (Tom Hardy) in Columbia Pictures VENOM: THE LAST DANCE.

Lacey Terrell/Sony Pictures Entertainment

The two recall the details of the scene with Hardy joking that Marcel was up to something nefarious when she wrote it. “That comes from a dig. I know that that was a dig,” he says.

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Tom Hardy wearing a suit in Venom: The Last Dance.Sony Pictures Entertainment/YouTube

Tom Hardy, VENOM: THE LAST DANCE

Sony Pictures Entertainment/YouTube

TheMad Maxstar continues to explain thathis son Louis, 16, is always “bringing upRyan Reynoldsfor winning sexiest man of the year awards.”

Ryan Reynolds Sexiest Man Alive cover.

Ryan Reynolds SMA cover

Marcel insists Hardy is deserving of the title and arguesthat the line was her “campaigning” for him.

Hardy’s costarsJuno TempleandChiwetel Ejiofor, who make their debuts in theVenomuniverse for the first time in this movie, agree that Hardy is overdue for the honor. “You guys should be throwing it,” theDoctor Strangealum says in a separate interview.

“The way he plays these two people — or one alien and a person — how he intertwined them, and his perspective of a yin and yang within a person, I think that’s very sexy,” Temple says.

“I mean, [he’s a] gorgeous guy,” she adds. “I think he can really own a space. And he looks banging in a suit.”

Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor star in Venom: The Last Dance.Laura Radford/Sony Pictures Entertainment

Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor star in Columbia Pictures VENOM: THE LAST DANCE

Laura Radford/Sony Pictures Entertainment

Alongside Hardy, Ejiofor and Temple, the movie starsRhys Ifans, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu andAlanna Ubach. Additionally, Hardy and Marcel serve as producers with Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal and Hutch Parker.

Venom: The Last Danceis in theaters now.

PEOPLE’snext Sexiest Man Alive will be revealed Nov. 12.

source: people.com