In voices sharp and soft, Tom Hardy sounds out

TORONTO (AP) — Think of Tom Hardy and what likely first comes to mind is his stout physical presence: his muscled mixed-martial arts fighter in “Warrior” or his hulking Batman villain, Bane, in “The Dark Knight Rises.”

But Hardy is, first and foremost, a talker. As he’s developed as an actor, it’s become increasingly clear how much voice plays a central role for Hardy. His characters are a richly varied assortment of vocalization. In two films this year, his verbal virtuosity is especially on display: the New York crime film “The Drop,” which opens Friday, and the earlier-released “Locke,” a drama almost entirely composed of Hardy talking on the phone while driving.