MobLand star lifts lid on Helen Mirren’s cheeky behind-the-scenes habit: ‘In hysterics’

“In hysterics”: The screen legend’s MobLand co-star has lifted the lid on what she’s actually like behind the scenes.

Helen Mirren as Maeve in MobLand. Picture: Paramount+

IN LONDON

The stars of the highly-anticipated new crime TV show MobLand have hit the red carpet in London for the global premiere.

Director Guy Ritchie’s gritty, fast-paced series stars Pierce Brosnan and Dame Helen Mirren as Conrad and Maeve Harrigan, the patriarch and matriarch of a mob family, with Tom Hardy as their “fixer” Harry de Souza and 1917’s Anson Boon as their grandson Eddie.

Maeve (Mirren) and Conrad (Brosnan) are at the head of the crime family. Picture: Paramount+

The show focuses on Harry’s critical role in trying to clean up the constant flow of issues that arise within the powerful crime family, while they all navigate a rapidly escalating war with a rival gang.

Hardy plays Conrad’s “fixer”, Harry. Picture: Paramount+

While the concept of sharing scenes with screen legends such as Brosnan and Mirren was somewhat intimidating, 25-year-old Boon described it as “so much fun”.

“Helen, she is amazing. I’ve learned so much from just watching her work, but also she’s so playful,” he revealed.

“Every single take, you never knew what she was going to come out with. She’d have me in hysterics when I was meant to be doing the most serious scene. I had so much fun with her.”

Mirren was “so much fun”, according to her co-star. Picture: Paramount+

Boon at the premiere in London on Thursday. Picture: John Phillips/Getty Images

MobLand is only the third TV series from Ritchie, who is known for offering a lot of freedom on set to his actors … and making last-minute changes.

“I remember one day coming into set, and Guy was like, ‘Just come into my trailer, I’m just gonna change the scene. Gonna rewrite it’,” British actress Mandeep Dhillon, who plays Conrad’s love child Seraphina, told news.com.au.

“So we changed it, there and then. And he said, ‘Mandeep, I’m gonna throw stuff at you – you up for it?’ He keeps you on your toes – and I love it.”

Dame Helen Mirren, Guy Ritchie, Pierce Brosnan and Tom Hardy at the global premiere. Picture: Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images for Paramount Plus

Boon agreed, describing it as “such a free set”.

“The thing about Guy is, he just understands English banter in such a quintessential way – and the way he empowers actors to bring out their natural humour and feed that into the scene … I’ve just never experienced anything like it.”

As well as Brosnan, Mirren, Hardy, Boon and Dhillon, MobLand stars House of the Dragon’s Paddy Considine, Downton Abbey’s Joanne Froggatt and Geoff Bell.

MobLand will premiere on Sunday, 30 March on Paramount+.