Tom Hardy’s Secret Star Wars Cameo and His Hopes for a Return

Tom Hardy’s career has been anything but predictable. He burst onto the scene with a role in Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down, and that same year, he made a brief but memorable appearance in Band of Brothers. Yet, after a promising start, things went a bit sideways. A handful of forgettable projects saw his name slip from the limelight, and for a while, it looked as though he might become another cautionary tale of early promise fizzling out.

But Hardy’s story didn’t end there. The early 2010s brought a string of acclaimed films that propelled him back into the public eye. These days, he’s a fixture in major blockbusters, with a CV that reads like a who’s who of modern franchises. He’s donned the iconic leathers of Mad Max, menaced Gotham as Bane, and even tangled with Marvel’s symbiote as Venom. There was also that less-than-celebrated stint in Star Trek: Nemesis, but perhaps best not to dwell on that one.

Unexpected Favourites and a Galaxy Far, Far Away

In a recent chat with The Playlist, Hardy reflected on his journey through some of cinema’s biggest universes. When asked about his personal highlight, he offered a response that might catch a few off guard.

“I love Star Wars,”

he admitted.

“My favourite character is Han Solo. No, I’d be well up for doing more Star Wars. That was great. I’ve always wanted to be in a Star Wars film. So playing a stormtrooper was fantastic,”

he enthused.

If you’re scratching your head trying to recall Hardy’s appearance in the saga, you’re not alone. His involvement is something of a deep cut. He filmed a cameo as a stormtrooper in the eighth instalment of the series, The Last Jedi. In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, his character shares a scene with Finn—John Boyega’s ex-stormtrooper—who’s disguised as an officer. The exchange is memorable for one reason: Hardy’s stormtrooper gives Finn a slap on the backside, a first for the Star Wars universe, one imagines.

Cameos and Cut Scenes

Hardy isn’t the only well-known face to have slipped into a stormtrooper’s armour. Daniel Craig famously played the guard whom Rey manipulates with a Jedi mind trick in The Force Awakens. That film also squeezed in appearances from Michael Giacchino, Nigel Godrich, and director Kevin Smith. The Last Jedi, meanwhile, saw even royalty get in on the act, with Princes William and Harry donning helmets for a secret cameo. By the time The Rise of Skywalker rolled around, the number of celebrity cameos had reached almost farcical levels.

Yet, for all the fun, Hardy’s moment never made it to the final cut. His scene was left on the editing room floor, meaning his ambition to appear in a Star Wars film remains technically unfulfilled. Still, with the franchise showing no signs of slowing down, it’s hard to imagine he won’t get another shot.

Still Waiting for the Call

For now, Hardy’s enthusiasm for the galaxy far, far away is undimmed. He’s made it clear he’d jump at the chance to return, especially if it meant donning the stormtrooper armour once more. Given the sheer volume of new projects in the pipeline, it seems only a matter of time before the phone rings. Until then, fans will have to content themselves with the knowledge that, somewhere out there, Tom Hardy is still waiting for his moment in the Star Wars spotlight.