Tom Hardy offered to pay the wages of dozens of set builders involved in his new project, it has emerged.
The construction company working on the Guy Ritchie series had failed to make payment before Christmas, prompting the "Mad Max" actor to step in.
According to the Independent, Hardy has been busy shooting scenes for the upcoming gangster drama series, "Fixer," which he will star in alongside Dame Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan. Around 50 freelance set builders, who completed work on the set over the summer, recently learned that they would not be paid roughly $317,500 owed in wages by the set construction business, Helix 3D.
It has been revealed that the company faces liquidation, leaving staff unlikely to be paid before the holidays. In response, Hardy offered to pay the workers' wages, while the situation with Paramount is addressed.
"He offered to [pay], but the production and Paramount have sorted the payment," a source told the UK's Times.
The outlet further cited a source as stating that bosses were "outraged" to hear about the situation and would act swiftly to ensure the workers were paid.
Chris Hudson, the broadcasting union Bectu's organizing official, wrote to Helix 3D's chief executive before a payment plan was established calling out the company's conduct.
"Our members deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and compensated on time for their work. It is wholly unacceptable that they are facing significant financial precarity, particularly ahead of Christmas," he wrote, according to the letter seen by The Times.
"This close to Christmas, our members are rightly very distressed, with many fearing they will be unable to cover necessities. I trust you can appreciate the significant impact this is also having on their mental health," he continued, noting that issues facing the company, such as the sale of its offices, were not a valid excuse not to pay the workers.
"What does seem to have been avoidable was the lack of foresight that this situation could occur, given the serious financial trouble Helix was in," he said.
"What was also avoidable is the lack of information and transparency granted to our members throughout their employment as to Helix's current state of affairs."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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