Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren Defend Tom Hardy Amid ‘MobLand’ Set Controversy
Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren are pushing back on previous reports of tension surrounding their MobLand co-star Tom Hardy, speaking out in a joint defense of the actor following speculation about his future on the Paramount+ crime drama.
Co-Stars Respond to Allegations of On-Set Friction
Earlier this summer, multiple outlets reported that Hardy’s future on the Guy Ritchie series was uncertain following alleged clashes with producers during production on the second season. Reports claimed the actor made cast and crew members wait for hours while remaining in his trailer, with one source describing the behavior as “a power play.”
The Hollywood Reporter did not report that Hardy was being fired, but a source close to the production previously described on-set behavior complaints and indicated his future on the series was in limbo.
“He refused to come out of his trailer for hours at a time,” the source told THR about Hardy’s alleged on-set behavior during season two, adding that the actor “kept the cast waiting” and characterizing it as “a power play.”
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, both Brosnan and Mirren strongly disputed the narrative of dysfunction.
Brosnan: Reports Were a ‘Storm in a Teacup’
Brosnan revealed he first learned of the controversy from one of his sons, who texted him about the reports while the actor was on vacation.
“I think we’re all blindsided by it, really. It was my son who sent me the text one morning. I was away on vacation, and I couldn’t believe it. I reached out to Tom, saying, ‘I love you, mate. I love you.’ And he and I, you know, we communicate. He’s a painter. I’m a painter. Both actors. But anyway, just to say, ‘I’m there. We’re there. We love you.’ So for me, it was kind of a storm in a teacup,” he tells THR.
Mirren: ‘False Rumors Just Should Be Knocked on the Head’
Days after the initial reports broke in May, Mirren took to Instagram to post a photo of Hardy with the caption, “Love you now and always.” Speaking with THR ahead of the show’s return, she elaborated on why she felt compelled to speak out publicly.
“We live in the world of being talked about and interviewed in newspapers and so on and so forth. Pierce and I have both had many years of this and experience of it,” Mirren says. “False rumors just should be knocked on the head, ASAP, which is why I did my post about Tom, not for Tom, but my absolutely genuine love of Tom.”
“You know, it’s par for the course, and it’s important, especially in a show like this where we are all so mutually supportive of each other. Very often the actors get blamed for this sort of thing, and if there is a rumor, the immediate sort of blame can fall on actors. That’s usually completely unfair.”
‘Tom Is MobLand’: Stars Affirm Hardy’s Central Role
Created by Guy Ritchie, MobLand follows the conflict between two rival London crime families: the Harrigans, led by Irish patriarch Conrad (Brosnan) and his strategic wife, Maeve (Mirren), and the Stevensons, led by Richie Stevenson (Geoff Bell). Hardy plays Harry Da Souza, the Harrigan family’s loyal fixer, who faces an increasingly dangerous situation in season two as the Harrigans struggle to maintain a united front while rising rivals threaten their criminal empire.
The ensemble cast also includes Paddy Considine, Joanne Froggatt, Lara Pulver, Anson Boon, Mandeep Dhillon, Jasmine Jobson, Teddie Allen, Emmett J. Scanlan, Johnny Flynn, Ophelia Lovibond, Janet McTeer, and Toby Jones.
Earlier this month, Paramount+ officially renewed MobLand for a third season with Hardy confirmed to return. Mirren dismissed any notion that the actor might not continue.
“We’re not even contemplating that. That’s not a part of any sort of contemplation whatsoever.
“He is the anchor of this mad whirlwind happening around that character,” Mirren continues.
“Tom is MobLand. Without Tom, we don’t have MobLand,” Brosnan adds. “He is the center. He allows us to play these crazy characters.”
Season Two Premiere Schedule
New episodes of the 10-episode second season of MobLand premiere Sept. 18 on Paramount+ and will stream weekly on Fridays, leading up to the season finale on Nov. 20.
