Tom Hardy and Helen Mirren's post-hug pose resembles the face-off boxers perform to intimidate opponents before a big fight, body language expert claims

Tom Hardy shared a warm embrace with his MobLand co-star Dame Helen Mirren at the season two premiere on Thursday, but a body language expert has claimed there was more to the hug than meets the eye.

Reports of major tension between Tom and production during filming for season two of the hit Paramount+ show led to claims the actor is departing the series after he reportedly stormed off set.

Just days after Dame Helen, 81, opened up about the on-set clash rumours with Tom, 48, the pair appeared to be getting on like a house on fire as they posed for snaps on the red carpet in London on Thursday.

But body language expert Judi James has explained that the pair look like they are engaging in 'psychological warfare', with their bizarre post-hug pose.

'This looks like a very odd way to close down rumours of a rift on set,' Judi explained.

'Standing toe-to-toe, torso to torso and eyeball to eyeball means Tom and Helen's after-hug pose resembles the kind of face-off heavyweight boxers perform as part of their psychological warfare, to intimidate their opponents before a big fight.'  

Pointing out that Tom's 'gentleman's hands' placement 'signals respect' for Dame Helen by 'using a light touch rather than any clutching,' Judi added that Helen seems keen to end the embrace.

'Helen's arm hangs down at the side of her torso with no apparently instant desire to continue to reciprocate after their long but rather awkward hug.'

She added: 'Tom's smile looks unconvincing and effortful here, with his lips kept closed while his cheeks are raised and rounded.'

'When the pair do hug they look over-careful and rather awkward in a partial crouch. Tom seems to be using the common actor's device where his facial expression over Helen's shoulder appears to tell a different story as they hug as he seems to be pulling a face rather than just sharing a loving smile.'

Judi added that the pair's co-star Pierce Brosnan, watching on, also gives away some telling clues in his body language. 

'As Helen and Tom are in 'face-off' mode, he seems to be extending one hand in a gesture of interruption, but when the pair do hug it seems to be Pierce patting Tom in a paternal-looking gesture of approval', the body language expert suggests.

Reports of major tension between Tom and production during filming led to claims that the actor had departed the show after its second season.

However, it's since been claimed that the actor and producers Jez Butterworth and David Glasser are working through their creative differences in time to start shooting series three.

The premiere marks the first time the gangster drama cast have all publicly reunited following the controversy surrounding lead star Tom's on-set behaviour

Over the past few months there were reports of behind-the-scenes friction involving Tom, with stories claiming there were disagreements over the direction of the show.

However, his co-star Dame Helen recently jumped to his defence and said people should be 'free to f*** up'.

Dame Helen has repeatedly defended Tom, showing her support for her co-star via a 'Love you now and always' Instagram post and stating publicly she would work with him again in a 'heartbeat'. 

'You do learn certain things as you get older,' she recently mused to Radio Times. 'About how to work with people, really.' 

Admitting that whilst she has certainly not become more forgiving of people she added: 'What you learn is every single person is different; every single person has their own way of doing things.'

'There's not one way, there's a million different ways.' 

'What you want is what's on the screen, or what's on the stage, to be great. And the only way to do that is for everyone to feel that they can be free to create and explore and experiment and f*** up,' adding that she herself has 'endlessly' 'f**ked up'. 

The star, who reprises her lead role alongside Tom, Lara Pulver, Mandeep Dhillon and Teddie Allen, gushed that she loves 'to work in an ensemble situation, and MobLand is very ensemble. It suits me just fine.'