Dame Helen Mirren has opened up about returning as the fearsome Maeve Harrigan in the second series of MobLand, describing her character as a bloodthirsty force of vengeance drawn from the world of Greek tragedy.
Speaking to Radio Times, the 81-year-old actress, whose trophy cabinet boasts an Oscar, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, a Tony, five Emmys and an Olivier, acknowledged the sheer darkness of the role.
“She is awful,” Dame Helen said.
“Am I shocked by her? I guess I am, but the piece inhabits a fantastical world.
Dame Helen Mirren has opened up about returning as Maeve Harrigan in the second series of MobLand
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GETTY“It’s a dreamscape really; heightened and extreme.”
Maeve creates misery for everyone around her, not least Pierce Brosnan’s gang-boss character Conrad Harrigan.
The character’s dialogue is peppered with profanity, something Dame Helen addressed directly.
“Oh, my God! Every other word is the c-word or the f-word,” she noted.
The actress described her fearsome MobLand character Maeve Harrigan as ‘awful’
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Asked whether the relentless use of such language caused her any discomfort, she said: “I don’t have an issue with it at all.
“I’m an actor. I was thrown out of quite a few pubs in the old days when women weren’t supposed to be swearing in pubs.”
The first series drew comparisons to Macbeth for its descent into violence, much of it driven by Maeve’s scheming against the women in her own family.
Her female co-stars Lara Pulver, Mandeep Dhillon and Teddie Allen, who portray members of Maeve’s extended family, have each spoken of Dame Helen as an inspirational presence on set.
Tom Hardy plays fixer Harry Da Souza in the hit series
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Getty“It’s very weird; as you get older, a sort of ill-placed respect arrives for no particular reason,” she reflected.
“I think it’s just the respect of survival.
“I don’t feel any different really to how I did when I was 23 or 24.”
The show was not without off-screen drama earlier this year, when reports emerged that Tom Hardy’s behaviour on set had irritated fellow cast members and sparked tensions with producers.
In May, reports initially claimed the 48-year-old actor would not return for a potential third series following alleged problems during the filming of series two.
Sources claimed Mr Hardy had repeatedly arrived late to set and sought changes to dialogue, with his tardiness reportedly leaving co-stars including Dame Helen and Pierce Brosnan waiting for extended periods.
The actor was also reported to have clashed with executive producer Jez Butterworth and 101 Studios boss David Glasser over the show’s creative direction.
Later reports insisted Mr Hardy had not officially been fired, with sources claiming there was frustration on both sides.
Dame Helen Mirren stars opposite Pierce Brosnan, who plays her on-screen husband Conrad Harrigan
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It was alleged that Mr Butterworth had sometimes delivered scripts just a week before filming, leaving Mr Hardy, who is said to prefer extensive preparation, with little time to rehearse.
Mr Butterworth’s absence from the set was also said to have complicated matters when the actor wanted to discuss potential changes to scenes.
Amid the growing speculation, Dame Helen publicly threw her support behind her co-star.
She shared a photograph of Mr Hardy on Instagram alongside the message: “Love you now and always helen.”
Tom Hardy became embroiled in controversy earlier this year following reports of tensions behind the scenes
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Dame Helen subsequently made her feelings about working with the actor again even clearer, declaring she would do so “in a f***ing heartbeat” and describing him as an “amazing actor”.
By July, it emerged that Mr Hardy was set to return for a potential third series after he and members of the production team allegedly met in London to resolve their differences.
A third series has not yet been formally announced.
Dame Helen, however, made clear she refuses to engage with the surrounding industry drama.
“I separate myself from all of that,” she stated.
“I don’t read it. I don’t look at it. I don’t contribute to it.”
Asked whether age had made her more forgiving of others, she replied: “No, but what you learn is that every single person is different.”