THE THESP BESTIES
Things quickly got starrier as Tom’s acting career took off. In 1996 he formed a close bond with Ralph Fiennes after they met backstage at the Almeida Theatre, London. Ralph reports he was immediately won over by Tom’s effusive wit, claiming, ‘When people meet Tom for the first time, he quickly turns on the charm. He can have a room in stitches.’
Two years later, Liam Neeson became a good friend after they appeared on stage in The Judas Kiss (at the time, one reviewer claimed Tom was ‘too sexy for his size’).
Tom continues to attract an admiring circle of A-listers, including Bill Nighy (they’ve starred in five films together, with Bill claiming Tom’s work is ‘so sophisticated that you can’t see the acting’) and Benedict Cumberbatch after they performed at literary event Letters Live last November.