He's currently starring in Legend on the big screen and over the years he has become a bright, shining star. Tom Hardy has proved that he is simply not just that pretty face.

Hardy began his career on TV with Band of Brothers but it was his breakthrough role in Christopher Nolan's Inception which really drew attention towards him.

With a new miniseries on the horizon and one of the best films of the year behind him with Mad Max, here are six of the reasons he is really hot property in Hollywood at the moment.

1. The Drop

As Bob, the bar man who finds himself at the centre of a robbery gone wrong, Hardy played the role with just the right amount of normality coupled with insanity. He always seems to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown and you're never entirely sure what he's hiding. Sure, the film in parts was mediocre but for the most part, this is a great performance.

2. Inception

Hardy played Eames in Nolan's brain melt, a character who had no back story but seemed to know a hell of a lot about getting around rules. He was the group's forger, someone who could change who his character was in the brain but the main thing? You never really forgot Hardy's inclusion in an amazing cast.

3. Warrior

One of the great films that really dipped below the radar in the last ten years, Warrior told the story of warring brothers who were thrown together for one last bout in their professional capacity as MMA fighters. There really is no doubt about the fact that Nick Nolte deserved that supporting actor Oscar but Hardy shone through as the bruised but lovable Tommy.

4. Mad Max

Action films really don't tend to get attention from the Academy unless it's for technical nominations but this would be a major injustice when it comes to Mad Max with two stellar leading performances in the form of Charlize Theron and Hardy's Max.

5. Peaky Blinders

Being a good actor these days means you also have to bring it on the small screen. In fact, it's almost a rite of passage. Most of today's big stars have made the move back to TV for meaty roles which allows them to really get involved with the character. Take Hardy's turn as Alfie Solomons...

6. The Dark Knight Rises

It also seems that these days you have to work on a comic book film as a dark ruthless character to be taken seriously but Hardy can most certainly tick that box. Yes, for the most part Dark Knight Rises was a bit of a mess but Hardy's performance as Bane stole the show.