The actor is famous for his hard men roles in movies such as `Inception`, `Bronson` and `Warrior` but in real life he claims he`s just a gentle guy who likes nothing more than relaxing at home with his fiancee.

Tom - who is engaged to actress Charlotte Riley and has a three-year-old son Louis from a previous relationship - said: "There is a softie within me, you know, I`m someone`s dad, I have a three year old who means the world to me. I really just want to be with my missus and my son and my dog and do films and be left alone."

When portraying tough guys, Tom - who stars in new spy movie `Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy` opposite Gary Oldman - has based his performances on what would frighten him in real life.

In an interview with Handbag.com, the 34-year-old actor explained: "In all honesty all the tough characters I`ve played have been a bit mad, a bit strong and a bit tough, but I`ve just put on the outside what I consider to look strong and that`s being observed by somebody who is terrified of being hurt. I think the most fundamental thing about security is to know where your vulnerabilities are and where your weak spots are and because I`m terrified of being damaged I`ve learnt to see it coming, so when you see my characters those are people who scare me."
sections: Celebrities