It’s the star-studded gritty drama which tells the story of warring crime families in London.
But when the cameras stop rolling, it appears that a real-life personal battle is taking place between the show’s two biggest stars.
Sources on the set of MobLand, the much-watched Paramount+ show, say that relations between Dame Helen Mirren and Tom Hardy have become ‘extremely strained’ as they film the second series.
One insider even reveals the actress becoming increasingly frustrated at his lateness, while another member of the crew says that Hardy, 48, is at times to be found playing games on his phone.
Sources have told The Mail on Sunday that Dame Helen, 80, who portrays the formidable matriarch Maeve Harrigan in Guy Ritchie’s much acclaimed series, is ‘getting increasingly frustrated’ at heart-throb Hardy’s attitude on set.
The fall-out has led her to struggle with working closely with him after they came together to make the second series last month, with Hardy reprising his role as gangster fixer Harry Da Souza.
One said: ‘Tom’s character is charming. He’s the calm one but it is quite the opposite when the cameras stop. Dame Helen is a joy, she is a total pro and she has worked with so many people over the years.
‘But she is getting increasingly frustrated with Tom and his attitude. He can be late to filming too and that is annoying for Dame Helen, who is extremely professional and disciplined.
‘His tone is something Dame Helen doesn’t like, along with his lateness. She expects better. She holds people to a high standard. She’s 80. She’s been there and seen it all.
‘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 feels like Tom is winding her up. There is much chatter that he swaggers around like he’s the king.
‘He is very, very arrogant. It’s a fantastic show and everyone loves working on it. It’s such a shame there is this undertone.’
Another source says Hardy, who is married to Peaky Blinders actress Charlotte Riley, 43, has a tendency to get cross behind the scenes. A representative for the actor didn’t respond when asked if he wished to comment.
Hardy and Dame Helen were reunited just over four weeks ago when they began filming the second season of the show.
It also stars Pierce Brosnan, 72, as Dame Helen’s on-screen husband, Conrad, and Downton Abbey actress Joanne Froggatt, 45, as Jan Da Souza, the wife of Hardy’s character. Last week they were filming at locations in the Cotswolds and at Tower Bridge.
It’s not the first time that Hardy’s on-set tendencies have emerged. He clashed with South African actress Charlize Theron while they were filming Mad Max: Fury Road, which released in 2015, due to creative differences, lateness and his immersive acting style, leading to a tense environment.
His behaviour reportedly left Ms Theron feeling threatened enough to require on-set protection.
Hardy later admitted he wasn’t the acting partner Ms Theron needed and was ‘out of his depth’.
