'It was annoying and inelegant': Tom Hardy explains why he took offence when a reporter questioned his sexuality at recent Legend press conference

By Sophia Moir and Fehintola Betiku for MailOnline

Published: 13:30 EST, 18 September 2015 | Updated: 19:08 EST, 18 September 2015

Tom Hardy has revealed why he took offence at a journalist questioning his sexuality at a recent press conference for his latest film, Legend.

The 37-year-old actor - who portrays identical twins Ronnie and Reggie Kray in the biopic - argued that it wasn't the right time, or place, to ask a question about his sexuality.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the father-of-one explained that he's more than happy to discuss his sexual preferences, but he wasn't prepared to speak about it when it was brought up at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, in a room full of journalists. 

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Explanation: Tom Hardy has explained why he took offence from a reporter who brought up his sexuality on Sunday during a presser at TIFF earlier this week

Explanation: Tom Hardy has explained why he took offence from a reporter who brought up his sexuality on Sunday during a presser at TIFF earlier this week

He said: 'I found it very humiliating for somebody to decide that on his dime and his time, to openly and inelegantly pursue a line of questioning which I could only sense at the moment - which was quite awkward - that it was zeroing in on a reaction from me that would become a topic of discussion that had nothing to do really, really to do with what was there.'

The Inception star, whose wife Charlotte Riley is expecting their first child, added that the reporter's question was 'annoying' and 'inelegant'.

Discussing the fact the question had nothing to do with the film in question - although the journalist argued it was so - Tom said: 'That really, really annoyed me. It was just the inelegance of being asked in a room full of people...

'Now I'm happy to have a conversation, a discussion, at a reasonable time about anything. I'm confident in my own sexuality, and I'm also confident in my own being and talking about any issue you want to talk about it. But there is a time and a place for that.'

The actor's comments come after he dismissed the question in an awkward exchange at the TIFF. 

'But what is your question?': Graeme Coleman, from LGBT site Daily Xtra, was the journalist in the exchange

'But what is your question?': Graeme Coleman, from LGBT site Daily Xtra, was the journalist in the exchange

Unimpressed: Tom's reaction to the question became the talk of Hollywood this week

Unimpressed: Tom's reaction to the question became the talk of Hollywood this week

The reporter, named Graeme Coleman from the LGBT site Daily Xtra, asked Hardy during the Q&A: 'In the film, your character Ronnie is very open about his sexuality but given interviews you've done in the past, your own sexuality seems a bit more ambiguous.

'Do you find it hard for celebrities to talk to media about their sexuality?' 

Taking in the question, Tom paused before he then responded: 'What on earth are you on about?'

With the crowd at the conference erupting into laughter, Coleman then stated he was referring to comments the British actor gave in an interview with Attitude Magazine in 2008.

Still unsure how exactly to answer, Hardy replied: 'But what is your question?'

'Are you asking me about my sexuality?': The 37-year-old actor dismissed a question about his 'ambiguous' sexuality with a simply 'why' and finally shut Graeme down with an icy 'Thank you'

'Are you asking me about my sexuality?': The 37-year-old actor dismissed a question about his 'ambiguous' sexuality with a simply 'why' and finally shut Graeme down with an icy 'Thank you'

Awkward! During the exchange members of the audience laughed as Hardy tried to understand the question

Awkward! During the exchange members of the audience laughed as Hardy tried to understand the question

Things then took an awkward turn as Coleman reiterated the question to which Hardy then bluntly answered: 'I don't find it difficult for celebrities to talk about their sexuality'.

Still trying to make sense of the line of questioning, Tom queried: 'Are you asking me about my sexuality?'

With the reporter answering 'sure', the soon-to-be father-of-two swiftly shut him down by asking 'why' and when no answer was given Tom gave an icy: 'Thank you'.

In 2008, Tom was quoted as responding 'Of course I have' when asked by Attitude Magazine if he had relations with men.

He said: 'As a boy? Of course I have. I'm an actor for f***'s sake. I'm an artist. I've played with everything and everyone.'

He's a one woman man: Tom married English actress Charlotte Riley in 2014 and they're currently expecting their first child together - the actor has a son called Louis Thomas from a previous relationship

He's a one woman man: Tom married English actress Charlotte Riley in 2014 and they're currently expecting their first child together - the actor has a son called Louis Thomas from a previous relationship

However three years later, Hardy explained that his words were 'misconstrued' in a candid chat with Marie Claire in 2011.

Tom asserted: 'I don't regret anything I've ever said It's just a shame things are misconstrued and I don't get the opportunity to explain.'

He continued: 'I have never put my penis in a man. I've never had a c*** in my a***, and I have no f***ing desire for it. If that's what you like, cool. But it doesn't do it for me.'

Tom and his second wife Charlotte Riley, who he met on the set of ITV1's Wuthering Heights, wed in a secret ceremony in July 2014, after they became engaged in 2010.

Speaking about Riley in the past, last year the Inception star told Us Weekly: 'She's pure. She's just a very kind, pure person.' 

Hardy also has a seven-year-old son named Louis Thomas from a previous relationship and was married for five years to Sarah Ward before they divorced in 2004.

Good times: Tom was joined at the press conference by director Brian Helgeland and co-star Emily Browning

Good times: Tom was joined at the press conference by director Brian Helgeland and co-star Emily Browning

Laid back: Hardy wore a brown jacket, T-shirt, jeans and a baseball hat to the Q&A session

Laid back: Hardy wore a brown jacket, T-shirt, jeans and a baseball hat to the Q&A session

Meanwhile the internet recently went into overdrive when a series of Tom's rather cringeworthy pre-fame selfies surfaced.

But the good-natured actor insisted he felt 'no shame' when faced with the snaps of him posing in nothing but a pair of white Y-fronts and attempting a seductive lean on a door frame.

The Legend star said in an interview with Sky News: 'I might not be an Adonis, but I like to think of myself as an Adonis in that photo.' 

'I've got no shame about my MySpace photos, especially the one of me in my underpants which is a glorious photo of a man in his natural habitat.' 

Let's take a selfie! Outside the venue, Tom made time for fans as he took pictures and signed autographs

Let's take a selfie! Outside the venue, Tom made time for fans as he took pictures and signed autographs

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