NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� troves of knowledge and skill throughout his journey as an actor, forming a megastar career. But any education he received from director during their time on the 2008 鈥淩ocknRolla鈥� film was gained from afar.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have very much to do with him ... the first time I worked with him. Gerard (Butler) was leading that film and in many elements, we were support staff,鈥� said Hardy. "So, I got to experience , and it was a bit from a position of not being a lead, and that鈥檚 a different responsibility.鈥�
But time can bring people and experiences back around, especially in Hollywood. Since that film 17 years ago, Ritchie has transitioned into esteemed directorial status. And Hardy has morphed into a box office superstar with films like 鈥淭he Dark Night鈥� as the imposing villain Bane, and the titular role for Now, the two have reunited for Ritchie鈥檚 gritty, yet sophisticated series 鈥淢obLand.鈥�
鈥淚 was really keen to go back and work with him because he鈥檚 a fellow Brit and he鈥檚 done quite incredible work,鈥� explained Hardy. 鈥淚 wanted to go and play with him, actually, and see what that was like now I鈥檓 older, and it was good fun.鈥�
The Paramount+ original series follows Harry Da Souza (Hardy), an intimidating, yet calm fixer for a London-based crime family hoping to find the missing son of a rival faction to prevent a catastrophic gang war.
How did Hardy prepare to play such a menacing, yet even-keeled character?
鈥淣o acting required鈥� he said with a big laugh. 鈥淛ust turn up and, 鈥極h, yeah, that makes sense鈥� and say the lines. Don鈥檛 bump into the furniture.鈥�
The second episode of the 10-part 鈥淢obLand鈥� series airs Sunday on Paramount+.
The series was created by Ronan Bennett, known for popular crime shows like 鈥淭he Day of the Jackal鈥� and 鈥淭op Boy,鈥� and written with playwright Jez Butterworth. Ritchie serves as executive producer and directed the first two episodes. The 鈥淢obLand鈥� idea began as a spinoff from Showtime鈥檚 popular 鈥淩ay Donovan鈥� series, before becoming a stand-alone show.
Two-time Oscar-winner as the devious Maeve, matriarch and manipulator of the crime family, while Pierce Brosnan plays her husband and mob leader, marking a reunion for the pair who worked on the 1980 film 鈥淭he Long Good Friday.鈥�
It may be hard to think of a role that Dame Mirren hasn鈥檛 played, but she found one with 鈥淢obLand.鈥�
鈥淭here are always characters out there that are going to take you by surprise and 鈥� I think, 鈥橭h my god, I鈥檝e never done anything like that before,鈥� said the 鈥�1923鈥� star who believes the line between shooting film and TV is now nearly nonexistent. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the sort of beauties of my job, actually, is to constantly be entering into such very, very different worlds.鈥�
Mirren said the opportunity to work with Hardy was intriguing.
鈥淭om鈥檚 involvement in it was one of the reasons I signed up because I鈥檝e admired his work over many years,鈥� Mirren said. 鈥淒ifferent actors, you can see, 鈥橭h, they鈥檙e a great actor' 鈥� they can perform. But certain actors like Tom, it鈥檚 an interior power that just communicates with the camera. And Tom鈥檚 got that. You know what? It鈥檚 called star power.鈥�
The 鈥淢obLand鈥� cast features Paddy Considine of 鈥淗ouse of the Dragon鈥� fame, Joanne Froggatt, Lara Pulver, Anson Boon and Mandeep Dhillon. While this show technically reunites Mirren and Brosnan, they also shot the upcoming 鈥淭he Thursday Murder Club鈥� film prior to this project.
While much was unknown when Brosnan signed on, 鈥淢obLand鈥� had all the right ingredients for the former James Bond to dive in, starting with Ritchie, who released his Netflix series 鈥淭he Gentlemen鈥� last year.
鈥淗e鈥檚 naughty. He鈥檚 cheeky. He鈥檚 bold,鈥� said Brosnan. 鈥淚 love his work. His movies. The way he鈥檚 acquitted himself on the landscape of cinema. He鈥檚 a unique talent all his own 鈥� so I said yes. I wanted to go back to London. I wanted to work."
Next for Hardy is the crime drama film 鈥淗avoc鈥� premiering later this month, and there's chatter of a potential sequel to his 2015 鈥淢ad Max: Fury Road.鈥� A second season of 鈥淭aboo鈥� is on the way 鈥� nearly a decade after its debut. What about a 鈥淪pider-Man鈥� and 鈥淰enom鈥� crossover? Hardy addressed the rumors that an alleged project fell apart, clarifying it was never in the works.
鈥淧eople embellish a story. I just said I would have loved to work with 鈥楽pider-Man,鈥� but it never happened, which is a fact. It hasn鈥檛 happened. And I鈥檓 no longer working with 鈥榁enom鈥� 鈥� it is a shame because my kids would love to watch Venom and Spider-Man together,鈥� said Hardy. 鈥淚 would have liked that.鈥�
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Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.
Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
