Pierce Brosnan has played down reports of friction on the set of MobLand involving his co-star Tom Hardy, saying the alleged disputes were a “storm in a teacup”.
The Guy Ritchie crime drama, which also features Dame Helen Mirren, attracted media attention during the shooting of its second series following reports of conflict among the cast.
Hardy was rumoured to have delayed his fellow actors during filming and reportedly clashed with show co-creators Ronan Bennett and Jez Butterworth, raising questions over whether he would return for a third run.
Speaking at the series premiere in central London, Brosnan, 73, who reprised his role as the fierce head of a powerful mob family, Conrad Harrigan, said: “Oh my God, it was a storm in a teacup, really.
“I love the dude. I love Tom Hardy. I’m a massive fan of the man’s work. Truly.
“We are rock solid as a company, as a family.
“Everyone shows up for work, and everybody’s just there on the spot. It moves very fast so it’s not like we go out and socialise and go to the pub or anything like that.
“Everyone goes home to their families and before you know it, you’ve done 10 episodes.”
The upcoming series will see the Harrigan family struggle to show a united front while confronted with increasing rivals – with “fixer” Harry Da Souza, played by Hardy, at the centre of the drama.
Hardy, 48, said it was a “privilege” to work with Brosnan and Dame Helen, and watch the actors continue “pushing the envelope”.
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He said: “They’re awesome. In many aspects of course I look up to them. Coming up, these are actors that came before me.
“So to be able to work with them is a privilege, but also to be able to enjoy them, watching them spread their wings with their range now as well, and play against their type in some aspects, and really enjoy that is a beautiful thing to watch as a human being.
“These guys are really talented and they’re having a lot of fun. That’s beautiful.
“Taking it away as a person, just watching people enjoy themselves and watching a good team work together and having fun.
“That exists in the MobLand tribe, and Dame Helen and Pierce are of that family so in that respect, not only just to be a part of it, but to watch and observe them still enjoying themselves and pushing the envelope is brilliant.”
Dame Helen, 81, who portrays powerful matriarch Maeve Harrigan, said she hopes to have more scenes with Hardy in the third series, which was recently renewed.
She said: “The relationships are amazing. Obviously, Pierce and I have an extraordinary chemistry on-screen and off-screen. We’re very, very fond of each other. We respect each other enormously.”
She said she unfortunately did not have a lot of scenes with Hardy in the second series, however, she hopes to share the screen with him more in the next one.
MobLand series two will premiere globally on Paramount+ on September 18.