Tom Hardy has taken on several formidable roles throughout his career, from the ferocious protagonist in the 2008 film “Bronson,” which chronicles the life of a British criminal, to his dual portrayal of the infamous Kray twins in the 2015 movie “Legend,” and his character, Alfie Solomons, a Jewish gangster in the series “Peaky Blinders.”
Fans of “The Dark Knight” trilogy often find themselves mimicking his menacing portrayal of Bane, one of Batman’s most well-known adversaries. However, his latest character, Harry Da Souza, in the new Paramount+ series “MobLand,” presents a different kind of tough guy that might surprise audiences.
Da Souza, who works as a fixer for the London-based Harrigan crime family, headed by the stoic Conrad Harrigan (played by Pierce Brosnan) and his fiery wife Maeve (Helen Mirren), is tasked with locating the missing son of a rival gang before violence breaks out. Unlike his previous roles steeped in extreme violence, Da Souza’s demeanor is cool and collected, marking a notable shift in Hardy’s typical character choices.
Hardy revealed that he drew inspiration for Da Souza’s reserved nature from his performance in the 2013 thriller “Locke,” which unfolds entirely within the confines of a car during a tense road trip. “I’ve always wanted to play somebody who’s contained after I did ‘Locke’ with Steven Knight,” Hardy expressed. He appreciated the emotional stakes involved in balancing high tension with intriguing characters.
Taking on the role of a fixer in the crime world proved to be the perfect challenge for Hardy. He acknowledged, “Gangstering is pretty dramatic, isn’t it? Immoral? Very much so.” Portraying Da Souza was an exciting venture for him, offering opportunities to explore how to engage with the problems and concerns of others while remaining unfazed. “How to portray that excited me,” he noted.
“MobLand” also marks a significant reunion between Hardy and director Guy Ritchie, who last collaborated on the 2008 film “RocknRolla.” In that film, Hardy played Handsome Bob, a closeted mobster. Reflecting on their previous work together, Hardy admitted that while he enjoyed his time on “RocknRolla,” he felt sidelined as it was primarily Gerard Butler’s film.
Now, with more experience under his belt, Hardy was eager to return to Ritchie’s unique style within the gangster genre. “I think Guy has his own signature style for that, which has been punctuated into popular culture,” he said. “So I was really keen to go back and do something a bit more meaty.”
“MobLand” airs weekly on Paramount+.