(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Tom Hardy thinks he is probably capable of "strangling a waitress".

The British actor has been open about his personal problems, having spent time in rehab for crack cocaine and alcohol addiction.

He admits staying clean is a battle, although he's determined to win. He works hard to stay mentally healthy too, and says one of the main differences he's notices since getting sober is how self-aware he is.

"So, did I walk on the wrong side of the tracks? Hell, yeah. Am I capable of getting up and strangling that waitress? Yeah. Is it sensible? You know the answer to that! I'm not mad," he told British newspaper The Times.

Tom appeared in Star Trek Nemesis in 2002, but a year later checked into rehab. The experience taught him about the darker side of fame and he's determined not to let anything go wrong again.

"My agents will say that this can keep going, and we can churn up interest, and keep pushing and campaigning, and go all the way, and there's Oscars, and there's red carpets, big productions and big movies. I can't say no to that. So I've got to take this as far as this will go, and in the way that it's going," he explained.

The 33-year-old remains convinced his career could fall apart at any minute. That's one of the reasons he's working so hard at the moment he wants to feel he's given things his best shot.

Tom worries he won't be around in ten years' time so tries to enjoy every role he takes. He appeared alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception and shot Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with Gary Oldman, both of which left an indelible imprint on him.

"I am totally, totally in love with [Gary]. Most of my time in Tinker, Tailor is doing duologues with good Sir Gary, which is f**king awesome!" he raved.

"There's no point in fighting for alpha-male dominance with someone like Leonardo DiCaprio. You know? Get in where you f**king fit in!" (C) Cover Media