Well, my newest anyway. I blame Molly Harper. I’ve always liked actor Tom Hardy. He’s easy on the eyes, has an incredible voice, and shares a name with one of my favorite classic authors. What’s not to like?
He was Eames in Inception. Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. And then one day, I was watching a Star Trek: Nemesis replay on TV and I stopped in my tracks when I heard his voice. “OMG, is a young Tom Hardy starring as Shinzon?” Sure enough, yes.
And then I started plotting the first in my new book series right about the time I noticed Molly posting pictures of Tom Hardy on Tumblr, and that was it. I tumbled. Head over heels. Tom Hardy was the model for the hero in my newest book, Captain Connor Thorne.
If you haven’t heard about what I’m up to, I’m going back to my historical romance roots:
Sherri Browning Erwin’s THORNEBROOK PARK trilogy, set in Edwardian England on the Yorkshire estate where the Earl of Aberford resides, to Deb Werksman at Sourcebooks, in a three-book deal, for publication in Fall 2013, by Stephany Evans at FinePrint Literary Management (World).
If you like Downton Abbey, welcome to Thornebrook Park. The first book in the series: Never a Lady
After the loss of her husband and fortune in India, Eve Kendal returns to England and learns about life in the back stairways when she accepts work as a lady’s maid in order to survive her change of circumstances—until a developing attraction to her employer’s brother, Captain Connor Thorne, throws her future at Thornebrook Park into doubt.
Connor, it so happens, is working out some of his war-related issues in the boxing ring. And on Tumblr, I found pictures like this one:
And this:
And this:
Swoon, swoon, and swoon. Matthew MacFayden (probably my least favorite Darcy) narrowly beat out Tom Hardy for the Darcy role in 2005′s Pride and Prejudice (with my least favorite Elizabeth, Keira Knightley). Can we all just close our eyes and imagine the Darcy Tom could have been? Also, he did play Heathcliff in a 2009 TV version of Wuthering Heights. 
Well? Into Tom Hardy yet? Who is your most recent celebrity obsession?
Follow me on Tumblr or Pinterest!
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post!! Anytime I get to see pictures of Tom Hardy, it makes my day:)
My favorite Tom Hardy roles are — THIS MEANS WAR and ROCK N ROLLA! He stars with Gerard Butler in RnR — and is too funny!
I know you’re watching anything with Gerard Butler.
I’ll have to try and watch that one.
But yay! I’m glad I pulled you down into my unrelenting, merciless crush with me!
Yes! Unavoidable really.
His Heathcliff is actually sort of painful because he really explores those dark depths of obsession and cruelty. And whatever you do, don’t watch The Take. (Shudder)
Watching Wuthering Heights now.
Really looking forward to your series. Sounds fab as far as celebs. I’ve a few interests. LOL. Stephen Amell, Gerard Butler, Chris Mann, Alex O’Loughlin, James Caviezal to name a few.
It’s okay by me that he wasn’t Darcy (like yourself, Colin Firth will be the only Darcy for me) because I absolutely fell in love with him as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights and couldn’t see him in any other light. It was probably the fact that I watched it while I was terribly ill and surfing through Netflix from behind a mountain of tissues and Vicks, but there you have it. I am looking forward to your new series!!
I haven’t seen his Heathcliff, but I am determined to find it and watch!
Tom Hardy is definitely swoon-worthy. Your new series sounds great Sherry. When will the first be out?
Thanks! I will let you know when I know. Not soon enough for me.
Sherri –
HUZZAH on this new series!! Very excited about it…
I’m so excited about your new series, Sherri. I can’t wait. But I have to confess I’ll be closing my eyes and picturing Matthew MacFayden. (He is my favorite Darcy and was wonderful in MI6). Although I think it’s good news as we won’t have to share our favorite crushes
(Not that I’d throw Tom out of bed, mind you!)
Well, it is hard for me to picture any other Darcy than Colin Firth. I usually don’t picture actors as book characters, though. They seem to take on a life and appearance all their own, which is a good thing, I think.
Dee —
I like Matthew MacFayden but not as Darcy…and I hated Kiera Knightly in that P&P version — actually hate her in any role…
I do like him in RIPPER STREET….
I’m really looking forward to your new series, Sherri! We’ll be “title” sisters–one of my historicals is entitled Never a Lady.
Love your idea of casting handsome Tom in the screen adaptation of your series. And it needs to be adapted to the screen! Producers/directors–are you listening??
Well, I knew it sounded like a good title. Sorry, Jacquie!
No! No sorry! It is a great title–I’m honored we’re title sisters