I broke strict protocol on set of new Tom Hardy Netflix movie in bid to meet star… but then I took it even further
AN over-excited extra on Tom Hardy’s new Netflix film Havoc risked the wrath of producers by breaching strict protocol to meet the star.
Kelvin Dale-Greaves also engineered a way to pinch a prop from the Wales-based production, and has it on display in his house.
The action thriller, released last week on the streaming service, was shot largely around Cardiff.
Oscar nominee Hardy, 47, was even snapped in Gavin & Stacey territory enjoying time off at Barry Island Pleasure Park.
Kelvin and wife Linda Bailey - also an extra in the film - were signed up for one day and shot at Cardiff Museum, which doubled as a posh hotel reception.
Hardy had one of his dogs on set to play with between scenes.
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'He was very quietly spoken'
Kelvin told The Sun: “I think I said to him, ‘isn’t he lovely?’ And he said, ‘yeah, he’s great company’.
“He was very nice, just lovely. Not loud, he was very quietly spoken.”
However, he added: “We were still in the museum and he was focusing on what he needed to do. You shouldn’t really talk to anyone.”
Referring to speaking to the stars, Linda explained: “We’re told not to do that. There’s a code of conduct - they’re trying to remember lines and get their movements and they don’t want us saying ‘oh, can I have a selfie?’
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“There’s rules and regulations that you sign up to at a supporting artists agency and you have to read these terms and conditions.”
She went on to say: “If they speak to you, that’s fine - if they’re the first ones to say something to you then you’re fine but you can’t go up to them and ask for selfies and this that and the other.
“If there’s 50 SAs (supporting artists) and they all want a picture, they’ll never get any filming done.”
But Kelvin wasn’t done there. The museum was dressed up as a posh hotel at Christmas-time, despite the summer shoot, and extras were required to act as well-dressed guests as Hardy’s character Patrick Walker “eyeballed” a couple of arrivals.
Kelvin and Linda had to walk up to the reception desk and then take their seats.
Kelvin came up with the idea of pretending to speak to the receptionist, who would hand him a menu.
Linda recalled: “It was Kelvin’s idea, ‘can I have a menu?’ But I knew what he had in his head, ‘I can take that as a little memento off set’.
“That menu is now framed on our bedroom wall,” she added, laughing.
She described a “beautiful lamp” at the end of the reception desk.
“I joked about that lamp, because I told people ‘look out for that lamp because me and him are stood by that lamp.
“‘So you’ll either see us or we’ll be on the cutting room floor.’ We haven’t watched the film yet, so I don’t know if it made it or not.”
Linda has previously appeared in a number of shows, including as a dogger in an episode of Being Human and was on set for the first day of the recent Gavin & Stacey finale shoot, rubbing shoulders with James Corden.
But Havoc - described as “one of the biggest films ever to be produced in Wales” - was on another scale.
'Is it ever going to come out?'
Principal photography took place in summer 2021, but delays, including due to strikes and scheduling issues, meant much-needed re-shoots didn’t take place until last year.
Linda said: “It was so long ago, we were thinking ‘what are they going to do with this film? Is it ever going to come out?’ Everybody went off the boil a bit.”
The shoot took place during the Covid pandemic and it meant regular testing was needed.
However, it also led to Kelvin and Linda’s paypacket swelling to around £400 each for the day.
Tom Hardy insists on having lavender diffusers in his trailer as details of extraordinary 27-item rider list revealed
EXCLUSIVE by Stephen Moyes
SCREEN tough guy Tom Hardy insists on having a lavender diffuser in his movie trailer to help him relax.
Other “must haves” include strawberry ice cream vapes, M&S low alcohol Czech lager and Molton Brown peppercorn shower gel.
He also insists on a weekly IV treatment with a mixture of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The 47-year-old Brit — who has played Mad Max, a Spitfire pilot, a Peaky Blinders gangster and Batman baddie Bane — is equally adamant that his French bulldog Blue has a range of treats, a bed and “duck dishes”.
In all, his backstage “rider” lists 27 demands.
It was meant to be sent to producer Peter Heslop ahead of a new movie.
But instead the email went to namesake Pete Heslop, a 31-year-old IT worker from London.
Pete said that, despite repeatedly pointing out the errors, he has received 50 over five years — one about actor Idris Elba, and even messages from the producer’s wife.
Recalling being on set, Linda said: “I remember thinking they must have a budget. Normally we get paid £110 - then commission taken off, you might get £90.
“I think we had £400 each. That was with all the Covid tests the week before, then the day before, then on the day and they paid you £50 a time.”
Producers even decided Kelvin needed a haircut so paid for him to go get one done.
Linda said: “Every SA had their own clothes. They didn’t spare any cash on this one.”
She recalled the biggest highlight being the catering which was “off the charts”.
“They didn’t stop feeding us. They were making sure you were fed. You had your meal, then later on there was cake and tea and coffee again.
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“You didn’t starve and you never felt neglected.”
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