Tom Hardy smiling on the red carpetImage via Ian West/PA Images/INSTARimages.com
By
Jen Vestuto
Published Feb 16, 2026, 7:09 PM EST
Jen Vestuto is a TV Features Writer for Collider. A born and raised New Yorker, she started her career on set as a production assistant for shows like Law & Order: SVU and Person of Interest. In LA, she worked in the writers' rooms for The Vampire Diaries and Nancy Drew. Along with her writing partner, she joined the writing staff of Nancy Drew in Season 2 and stayed on the run of the show, which ended in 2022 with Season 4.
Jen grew up on Long Island in a loud Italian family. She's been writing creatively since she was in elementary school and would often make her younger sister act out scenes from her favorite movies with her. Jen is also a massive sports fan and was an athlete herself growing up.
Writing features for Collider gives her the opportunity to share her passion for great storytelling and compelling characters.
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When it comes to magnetic screen presence, it’s hard not to put Tom Hardy at the top of the list. Over the years, he’s delivered some of his most striking work in films like The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road, while also anchoring blockbuster franchises like Venom. Just as importantly, Hardy has consistently shown a willingness to commit to challenging television roles, including his scene-stealing turn on Peaky Blinders and more recently on MobLand. In 2017, he took that commitment a step further, teaming up with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight to build a series very much on his own terms.
That series is Taboo, an eight-episode historical thriller co-created by Hardy, his father Edward "Chips" Hardy, and Steven Knight. Set in a grimy, unforgiving early 19th-century London, Taboo is slow, dense, and unapologetically strange. While it earned a devoted cult following, it never fully broke into the mainstream conversation. Nearly a decade later, the series plays far better on a binge, revealing a meticulously crafted drama that remains one of Hardy’s purest and most hypnotic performances.
What Is Tom Hardy's FX Series 'Taboo' About?
Set in 1814 London, Taboo follows James Keziah Delaney (Hardy), a man long presumed dead who abruptly returns from Africa after more than a decade away. His reappearance coincides with the death of his father, leaving him in possession of a small but strategically vital piece of land that places him in direct conflict with the East India Company, embodied by the chilling Sir Stuart Strange (Jonathan Pryce), as well as representatives of the British Crown and American interests, including the calculating Atticus (Stephen Graham). What begins as a dispute over land quickly expands into a web of political manipulation, corporate greed, espionage, and colonial exploitation.
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The show is one of Hardy's many collaborations with 'Peaky Blinders' creator Steven Knight.
Posts 4 By Makuochi EchebiriTaboo presents every institution Delaney encounters as morally compromised, offering no clear heroes and only competing forces vying for power. As the conspiracy deepens, the series slowly unravels Delaney's personal history, particularly his complicated bond with his half-sister Zilpha (Oona Chaplin), whose quiet suffering adds emotional weight to the show's brutality. Supporting players like Lorna Bow (Jessie Buckley) and Brace (David Hayman) further flesh out the seedy world. While some viewers may find the plot and world-building deliberately slow, that restraint ultimately gives Hardy the space to deliver a performance that becomes the series’ driving force.
Tom Hardy's Performance in 'Taboo' Is Pure, Unfiltered Commitment From Start to Finish
At the center of Taboo’s enduring power is Tom Hardy’s extraordinary performance as James Delaney. This is not a traditionally charismatic role, nor is it designed to make Delaney likable. Hardy plays him as a man perpetually coiled, speaking sparingly and observing constantly, as though every interaction is a test of dominance. His low, gravelly voice becomes a weapon in itself, conveying menace even in silence. And like many of Hardy's performances, his physicality is just as crucial. Delaney moves through the world like an imposing specter, his stillness often more unsettling than outright violence.
That discipline is entirely intentional. Hardy conceived James Delaney years before Taboo ever made it to screen, and his involvement went far beyond acting. In a 2017 Collider interview, Hardy explained that performance was “five percent” of the job for him, with the rest devoted to producing, world-building, and supporting the ensemble. He emphasized that the other characters mattered just as much as Delaney, even as he carried the responsibility of anchoring the series. That dual role helps explain why the performance feels so controlled and purposeful. Hardy isn’t just inhabiting Delaney, he’s safeguarding the integrity of the world around him.
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Posts 6 By Jeremy UrquhartTaboo was officially renewed for Season 2 in 2017, but nearly nine years later, that follow-up has yet to materialize due to Hardy and Steven Knight’s packed schedules, even as both have repeatedly confirmed their commitment to continuing the story. Revisiting Taboo now also means watching a cast whose stars have only continued to rise. Stephen Graham became a household name following his Emmy-winning work in Adolescence, Jessie Buckley earned an Academy Award nomination for Hamnet, and Oona Chaplin joined the Avatar franchise — all actors who were already formidable here but have since become even more widely recognized for their craft.
CL Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Dive into the world of entertainment with Collider, delivering the latest news, reviews, and exclusive updates from movies, TV, and pop culture Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Nearly a decade after its premiere, Taboo has only grown stronger with time. What once felt slow or demanding now reads as deliberate, anchored by Tom Hardy at his most disciplined and commanding, and shaped by his hand in crafting and producing something genuinely meaningful. No matter if we get a Season 2, the series stands as proof that this eight-part historical thriller isn’t just aging well — it’s aging brilliantly.
Taboo
Like Follow Followed TV-MA Drama Mystery Thriller Release Date 2017 - 2017-00-00 Network BBC One Showrunner Steven Knight Directors Anders Engström Writers Ben HerveyCast
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Tom Hardy
James Keziah Delaney
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David Hayman
Brace
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Taboo
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Tom Hardy
CL Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Dive into the world of entertainment with Collider, delivering the latest news, reviews, and exclusive updates from movies, TV, and pop culture Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.What To Watch
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