At the "MobLand" season 2 premiere, Pierce Brosnan dismissed reports of on-set tension with Tom Hardy, saying he loves the actor and the cast is rock solid. The rumors began when reports claimed Hardy might skip a potential third season over clashes with production.
Brosnan addressed the speculation at the London premiere on September 10, speaking to the Press Association. "Oh my God, it was a storm in a teacup, really," he said. "I love the dude. I love Tom Hardy. I'm a massive fan of the man's work. Truly." He added of the cast, which includes Dame Helen Mirren, "We are rock solid as a company, as a family." Brosnan explained that the production moves so fast that there is little time for the kind of socializing that might otherwise happen between cast members — everyone shows up, works, and goes home.
The rumors had been building since May, when multiple outlets reported that Hardy might not return for a potential third season. A source told The Hollywood Reporter that Hardy had kept Brosnan and Mirren waiting for hours by staying in his trailer, calling the behavior a "power play" and warning that alienating co-stars of that stature amounted to career suicide. A separate report from Puck News claimed Hardy had been pushing to rewrite dialogue and offering unsolicited script notes to executive producer Jez Butterworth and series creator Ronan Bennett. In May, some outlets even reported Hardy had been axed — a story that was quickly refuted by a production source, with Variety confirming the matter was being resolved.
Mirren had already moved to tamp down the speculation, posting a photo of Hardy in character as fixer Harry Da Souza on Instagram with a message of support. Hardy himself told reporters at the premiere that working alongside Brosnan and Mirren was a "privilege," saying he looks up to both actors. Footage from the premiere showed Mirren and Hardy sharing a warm embrace on the red carpet at Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square — the three stars' first public appearance together since the rumors began.
The timing of the united front matters. "MobLand" season 2 premiered on Paramount+ in September, and the streamer has already confirmed that Brosnan, Hardy and Mirren will return for season 3. In the Guy Ritchie-created crime drama, Brosnan and Mirren play married crime bosses Conrad and Maeve Harrigan, with Hardy as their loyal fixer Harry Da Souza. Brosnan has said he hopes the show runs for additional seasons, citing the amount of story left in the Harrigan family. Whatever happened behind the scenes in May, the cast's public message is that the drama stays on camera.