Tom Hardy on 'Gritty' Role in 'MobLand' After 7 Years with Superheroes (Exclusive)

Tom Hardy and Paddy Considine are dishing on new crime drama series “MobLand.”

“Extra’s” Jenny Taft spoke with Tom and Paddy about what drew them to the project.

Tom said, "I wanted to play Harry because I wanted to come back after doing seven years of superheroes with something that was a bit more gritty and back to, I suppose, swearing." With a laugh, he added, "I just wanted to swear."

He liked that the series was "in a genre which was completely different to what I'd just been doing."

He added, “What I liked about Harry was that he was presented as a consigliere or a diplomat or a fixer, as opposed to sort of somebody who runs around and shoots people and bullies them. I was intrigued by the concept of diplomatic relations and how to present that in the world of, in a gangster show."

As for Paddy, he shared, "It was the whole thing for me. It was, like, the chance to work with Tom on something long-term."

Paddy said he was immediately sold after hearing on the initial call that Tom, Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren and Guy Ritchie were on board.

He emphasized, “I just thought, ‘Well, you don’t walk away from that.'"

Paddy said yes to his role as Kevin with the premise that the character would “evolve and change.”

Tom and Paddy also both spoke about their massive respect and admiration of Pierce and Helen. 

Hardy shared, “I went to the same drama school as Pierce, so I’ve, you know, long been aware of him from a student, as somebody who entered the workplace before they were famous and how they, sort of, operated at school and stuff like that. So, it was a joy to be able to work with him.”

He raved of Brosnan, "He's brilliant. He's an extremely graceful and kind, soulful, heartfelt actor, full of heart, and very brave and has a huge range." He added of Mirren, "Helen also, she has an incredible range and an incredible legacy as well."

He continued, “It’s an honor to work with people who are that talented and have showed that for so long.”

Paddy, who plays Pierce and Helen’s son, noted, "Helen has an ease about what she does that I kind of envy."

He also shared the funny story of how he ended up spending the day kissing Helen on the lips! 

He said, “I remember we shot a scene and I went in, come in the house, and I go, ‘Hello, Mom,’ and I give her a kiss on the cheek, and after we did the take, she came over to me and she went, ‘I think you should kiss me on the lips.' And I went, ‘Oh, really?’ She went, ‘Yeah, I think we should do that. I think that’s what we do as a family.' So, then I spent the day kissing Helen. And then, you know, if I walked in to get a cup of tea, I’d have to give her a kiss on the lips.”

Tom joked, “She went to Dave from HR and said, ‘He keeps kissing me on the lips. I don’t want him to.’”

Paddy laughed, "It wasn't the worst call home I've had to make, saying I had to kiss Helen Mirren today, but she insisted. There was nothing I could do about it."