The actor walked away with the top prize at the annual event for his portrayal of the infamous twins Ronnie and Reggie Kray in crime thriller film 'Legend'.
Hardy saw off competition for of Tom Courteney, Colin Farrell, Michael Fassbender and Tom Hiddleston to pick up the coveted gong, which critics are saying is a good sign for the 2016 Oscars.
The star, 38, was actually across town at a screening for his new film 'The Revenant' co-starring Leonardo Dicaprio (released Jan, 15) - so his co-star Domhnall Gleeson accepted the trophy on his behalf.
Taking to the stage to pick up the prize, Gleeson said: "Tom has decided to make a fool of me again - I have nothing to do with this film."
Meanwhile, the Irish actor was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for 'Brooklyn' but was beaten by his own father Brendan, who won for his performance in 'Suffragette.'
And to make matters worse, the younger Gleeson had to accept the award on his dad's behalf as well as he was also absent.
Other winners included Saoirse Ronan, who walked away with Best Actress for her role in 'Brooklyn', while Olivia Colman won Best Supporting Actress for 'The Lobster.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ekxPFTZm1Y
