Helen Mirren broke silence following reports of behind the scenes tension on Paramount+ crime drama MobLand, where she stars opposite Tom Hardy.
The Oscar-winner took to Instagram Thursday to post a photo of Hardy with text across his face reading, “Love you now and always helen.”
The brief but pointed message came just hours after conflicting reports surfaced about Hardy’s status on the series.
Earlier this week, Puck reported Hardy had been fired after season two, citing alleged issues with tardiness and long stretches spent in his trailer.
A source told The Hollywood Reporter that Hardy “refused to come out of his trailer for hours at a time.”
However, Variety countered that Hardy “was not fired” and that “the door is not closed for season 3,” noting that creative discussions are ongoing.
Rumours of tension between Hardy and Mirren were also addressed.
One source told Variety that while Hardy’s lateness was “frustrating” for Mirren, there was no animosity.
“I know she’s said to him a couple of times, ‘Come on, Tom, we’ve been here for ages, let’s get on with it,’ but she’s never appeared to be anti Tom,” the source explained.
Another insider added, “Helen is not that sort of person. If she had a problem with Tom, she would have said it to his face.”
Mirren’s supportive post echoes a similar message she shared in December, when she praised Hardy’s “brilliance on screen,” “dedication off screen,” and “good heart,” while cheekily listing “bad journalism” among the things she dislikes.
Hardy plays a fixer for a London crime family led by Mirren’s character in MobLand.
Season two has wrapped but has yet to premiere on Paramount+.
