TOM HARDY - HARDY VISITS NOTORIOUS PRISONER

Hollywood actor TOM HARDY has been granted access to the British prisoner he is set to play in a new movie. The Black Hawk Down star was allowed to visit Charles Bronson - real name Michael Peterson - despite opposition from officials at Wakefield's maximum security prison in England, who initially blocked the meeting. Hardy, 30 - who is about to start shooting a production based on Bronson's life - had repeatedly been refused access to the 55-year-old, who is serving life for taking a teacher hostage in a prison in 1999. But prison officials relented after Bronson lodged a formal complaint saying his rights had been infringed. Bronson has staged nine roof-top protests and taken a total of 11 hostages during his 33 years in prison. He has spent 28 years behind bars in isolation and is due to have a parole hearing next year (09). Bronson changed his name from Michael Peterson in 1987 but claims his choice of new moniker was not influenced by the actor with whom he shares the name.