Los Angeles, Sep 4 (IANS): “The Dark Knight Rises” star Tom Hardy "didn't even think" about playing both gay and straight characters in “Legend”, and insists he had no problem switching between them.

The British actor, who previously admitted to experimenting with men and women when he was younger, plays identical twin gangsters Ronald and Reginald Kray in the new crime thriller.

Speaking at a press conference for “Legend” in London on Thursday, the 37-year-old star said: "Do you know what I didn't even think about it. I don't think it needs playing, that's that. Ronnie was gay, does that make sense? If I thought about then that would give me pause to think about it, but I just had to get on with doing what I'm doing which is my job."

Hardy, who also attended the film's world premiere with his cast mates on Thursday night, thinks actors often over-think roles. But he prefers to take a more organic approach, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

He said: "I think if you start playing anything, then I think you start to miss the point of what it is you're supposed to do. I think what was complicated is that we don't know if Reggie was gay as well or not, that's questionable.

"So that's where I had to look at 'Legend' as its own separate entity and within this entity Reggie's heterosexual, Ronnie's gay let's get on with it. Does that make sense?"

The new movie is based on the book “The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins” by John Pearson.