Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren have said they were “blindsided” by the “false rumours” of Tom Hardy’s alleged behaviour on the set of MobLand.
The two actors star alongside Hardy in Guy Ritchie’s hit Paramount+ crime drama, which returns for a second season today (Friday September 18).
However, reports of on-set issues with Hardy (who portrays Harry Da Souza) emerged earlier this year. There were said to have been arguments between Hardy and producers, and were claims that he stayed in his trailer for hours, keeping his co-stars waiting.
In May, it was reported that Hardy had been axed from MobLand as a result. But after months of speculation, it was recently officially confirmed that the actor would be back for a third season.
The story of Hardy’s firing was previously quickly refuted by a production source, who revealed in late May that the matter was being resolved. In June, it was reported that Hardy was back in the fold, following discussions held in London between the actor and the show’s producers, with Ritchie also involved.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter earlier this week, Brosnan and Mirren addressed the reports of Hardy’s alleged behaviour, while defending their co-star.
“I think we’re all blindsided by it, really. It was my son who sent me the text one morning,” Brosnan told the outlet. “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.”
Mirren explained: “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.
“False rumours 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.”
The actor was referring to her post on Instagram in May, where she first spoke up for Hardy when the reports emerged. “Love you now and always,” she wrote at the time, alongside a photo of the Venom star.
Mirren went on to tell The Hollywood Reporter this week: “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 rumour, the immediate sort of blame can fall on actors. That’s usually completely unfair.”
Hardy’s Harry Da Souza is a ‘fixer’ for the notorious Harrigan crime family, led by Conrad and Maeve Harrigan (Brosnan and Mirren, respectively), in MobLand. The show’s cast also includes Paddy Considine, Joanne Froggatt, Lara Pulver and Anson Boon.
NME gave MobLand season one a three-star review, describing the drama as “funny but familiar”, comparing it to Ritchie’s previous work.
“For all the laugh-out-loud moments and intriguing plot lines, it’s hard to believe Guy Ritchie is still rolling out the same old schtick,” it read. “It’s as well made a version of this show as you could expect but it’s nothing to get excited about. Lock, Stock… feels like a very long time ago indeed.”
