Pierce Brosnan has dismissed reports of tension with his MobLand co-star Tom Hardy, describing the speculation as a “storm in a teacup”.
The Guy Ritchie crime drama, which also stars Helen Mirren, made headlines during filming of its second series following reports of friction behind the scenes.
Hardy was reported to have kept his co-stars waiting on set and to have clashed with the show’s co-creators, Ronan Bennett and Jez Butterworth, while there was also speculation over whether he would return for a third series.
Speaking at the show’s premiere in London, Brosnan said there was no rift between the pair.
“Oh my God, it was a storm in a teacup, really,” the 73-year-old said.
“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.”
Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren and Tom Hardy attend the MobLand Season Two World Premiere in London
Brosnan returns as Conrad Harrigan, the head of the powerful Harrigan crime family, in the second series.
The new episodes will see the family struggle to present a united front as they face growing threats from rivals, with Hardy’s fixer Harry Da Souza at the centre of the drama.
Hardy, 48, described working with Brosnan and Mirren as a “privilege”.
“They’re awesome. In many aspects of course I look up to them. Coming up, these are actors that came before me,” he said.
“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.”
He added: “These guys are really talented and they’re having a lot of fun. That’s beautiful.”
Mirren, 81, who plays family matriarch Maeve Harrigan, also spoke warmly about working with Brosnan.
“Pierce and I have an extraordinary chemistry on-screen and off-screen,” she said.
“We’re very, very fond of each other. We respect each other enormously.”
Mirren said she had relatively few scenes with Hardy in the second series but hoped the pair would work together more in the third, which has already been confirmed.
MobLand series two premieres globally on Paramount+ on 18 September.