Tom Hardy's MobLand co-star Helen Mirren spoke out after reports of on-set feud
Tom Hardy has been fired from MobLand after two seasons of the gangster TV series, and it reportedly came down to an on-set showdown with producers.
It was announced earlier today in a new report that, despite being the lead star of the Paramount+ TV show, Hardy would be departing the show ahead of its upcoming third season.
According to Matthew Belloni’s Puck News, this came down to clashes with producers after it was claimed that he was regularly late to set, would give notes on the scripts, and that Hardy had issues with the show becoming less focused solely on his character Harry Da Souza.
This is reportedly because the as-of-yet-unreleased second season and upcoming un-filmed third season became more an ensemble piece, which also brought Pierce Brosnan’s Conrad and Helen Mirren’s Maeve to the fore.
Advert
Whilst this may come as a shock to fans of the celebrity, reports from last year claimed that Mirren and Hardy had a feud due to his on-set behaviour, something she addressed on Instagram.
A report claimed that Hardy was often 'late to filming’ and had disappointed Mirren, several months before he was fired over these issues
The Daily Mail reported last year that Helen Mirren and Tom Hardy had a feud on the set of MobLand, with one claiming that she was 'getting increasingly frustrated' with the star over how he 'swaggers around like he's the king' on the set.
Another source continued, painting a pretty bad picture of the vibe on the set. They said: "He can be late to filming and that is annoying for Dame Helen, who is extremely professional and disciplined.
“She expects better. She holds people to a high standard. She’s 80. She’s been there and seen it all."
They finally added: "The behind-the-scenes crew watch it all and believe that she no longer looks as happy working on scenes with him. It has all become quite personal between them.
"It’s a fantastic show and everyone loves working on it. It’s such a shame there is this undertone."
This matches up pretty closely to Belloni's report in the Puck newsletter. He said: "Hardy was apparently late to set a bunch, constantly asked to give notes on scripts, attempted to change dialogue, and expressed his displeasure that a series initially built around him was increasingly becoming an ensemble showcase for Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and other co-stars.”
This led to clashes with producers, with Jez Butterworth and David Glasser being named as having clashed with Hardy during production of season two.
Mirren denied rumours of a feud between the two, but didn't say anything about reports of him being regularly late to set
After the reports broke Mirren took to Instagram, posting a picture of Hardy and seeming to hit out at the claims they had a 'feud'. Over the picture of Hardy she outlined her 'likes and dislikes'.
She said: "Things I love: 1. Christmas for obvious reasons. 2. Tom Hardy for his brilliance onscreen, his dedication off screen, his good heart and especially the HardyHugs I get when onset with him which is not nearly enough in my opinion. Things I hate: 1. Swede (the vegetable). 2. Bad journalism.”
Hardy had similar praise for Mirren and his co-star Brosnan, telling Parade in an interview about the show: "It was wonderful [working with the duo]. I’ve always admired Helen and I’ve always admired Pierce’s work.
"And so to be able to watch them do something I think they’re brilliant in and to be part of that experience is fantastic.
"They’re great, brilliant actors. Super talented, and they’ve done so much great work. It’s an absolute joy to be able to work with Pierce and Helen."
What have Tom Hardy's other co-stars said about working with him?
Sir Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart said Tom Hardy was 'odd' and 'solitary' (Paramount)
Stewart and Hardy worked together on 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis, in which Hardy played the villain Shinzon.
The X-Men star described Hardy as 'an odd, solitary young man from London' in his memoir Making It So, adding: "Tom wouldn't engage with any of us on a social level. Never said, 'Good morning,' never said, 'Goodnight,' and spent the hours he wasn't needed on set in his trailer with his girlfriend."
Charlize Theron
Theron and Hardy infamously clashed on the set of Mad Max: Fury Road, reportedly again because Hardy was often late to set.
On one occasion, according to Kyle Buchanan's book Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road, she asked producers to fine Hardy $100k for every minute he'd held up the rest of the cast and crew.
Things reportedly got so bad that Theron said she was 'scared s**tless' of Hardy and requested 'protection' from him, Buchanan said.
Hardy said in response to the claims: "The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times. What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me.
"That's something that can't be faked. I'd like to think that now that I'm older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion."
Austin Butler
Butler and Hardy starred alongside each other in 2023's The Bikeriders.
Butler said: "I pictured him to be this grizzly bear, always serious. And really, he’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met.
"He’d be joking around until action is called, and then go into being the most intense guy I’d ever seen."
LADbible Group has contacted a representative for Tom Hardy for comment.
Topics: TV and Film, Tom Hardy, Celebrity
Michael Slavin