‘MobLand’ Viewers Skewer Pierce Brosnan & Helen Mirren’s Irish Accents in the Show
Ever since its series premiere earlier this month on Paramount+, MobLand has received sustained criticism over one central component of the show: the accent work of its actors.
Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren in particular have drawn continued jeers from viewers for their portrayals of Conrad and Maeve Harrigan, the patriarch and matriarch of the crime family at the center of the story. Brosnan in particular is receiving the brunt of the jokes because of his Irish heritage.
“Mobland is one hell of a series, but that Irish accent Pierce Brosnan is attempting is f***ing horrendous!” one user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote. When someone then responded to note that Brosnan is, himself, an Irishman by birth, the user then added, “He should just try talking normally then!!”
Said another, “Watching Mobland but f*** me someone needs to tell Pierce Brosnan that his Oirish accent is as bad as Helen Mirens AWFUL Orish accent & the irony is of course that Pierce is an Irish Man it’s embarrassing! he should have just used his own natural accent imho.”
Then, from a third digital critique: “Mobland is unbelievable so far. The cast is unreal as well. My only issue is the Irish accents, Helen Mirrens can be forgiven, but what is going on with Pierse Brosnans accent? Just use your actual Irish accent.”
For what it’s worth, Brosnan was born in Ireland’s Drogheda, County Louth, and considered Navan, County Meath, his hometown. However, he also spent many of his formative years living in London, England, beginning at the age of 10. He once told Stephen Colbert on The Late Show, “The accent got mangled way back then trying to fit in. Because I left Ireland in 1964 as a country boy, and trying to fit into a different community, society in South London, I was — I suppose it was one of my best performances, ending up being South London, talking like that.”
One user on Instagram said in a video, “I’ve never heard two worse Irish accents in my whole entire life.” He also offered up an imitation that simply must be seen and heard to be appreciated.
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Some of the other adjectives used to describe the controversial accent work from these two actors include, “utterly ridiculous,” “atrocious,” “abominable,” and other colorful turns of phrase.
On a brighter note, one of the show’s stars who’s getting rave reviews online is Tom Hardy: “Tom Hardy is quietly, menacingly, and wittily giving a Gary Oldman sized performance in Mobland. Every line he delivers is sweet as… Highly recommended,” one fan wrote.
Meanwhile, others are able to look — er, listen — past the accent gripes and enjoy the drama anyway. “Started watching MobLand .. it’s actually pretty good. Tom Hardy is brilliant. The only issue so far are the god-awful accents of Pierce and Helen lol,” one user wrote. “Mobland > Gangs of London. Despite the terrible accents,” added another. “Mobland is decent once you get past some of the s**tty accents,” said a third.
MobLand centers on Hardy’s fixer character Harry De Souza, who is working for the Harrigans as they face an existential feud with the Stevenson gang in South London.
MobLand, Sundays, Paramount+
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