Mobland: Who Plays Archie & Why Did Conrad Kill Him?

In the gritty new crime drama MobLand, blood spills early as Irish gang kingpin Conrad Harrigan kills his oldest friend Archie, establishing that loyalty plays no role when it comes to business. Despite their lifelong connection, a cryptic remark from Conrad’s wife, Maeve, plants just enough doubt to trigger the shocking murder of Archie.

However, Archie’s death is merely the beginning. The following set of events after Archie’s “disappearance” from the public shows he knew more than the Harrigans.

Who is Archie’s actor in Mobland?

Alex Jennings plays the character of Archie in MobLand.

The 67-year-old British actor has played several memorable roles, including Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor, in Netflix’s The Crown. Jennings also earned a nomination at the 2019 British Academy Television Awards for his portrayal of Tim Finch in ITV’s crime drama, Unforgotten.

Why did Conrad kill Archie in Mobland?

Conrad Harrigan killed his lifelong friend Archie after suspecting betrayal in MobLand. The head of the Harrigan family believed that his friend had “betrayed” his trust and worked with his rival clan, the Stevensons.

Archie’s hesitation about the Harrigans entering the lucrative fentanyl trade — territory already claimed by the rival Stevenson family — proved to be the final straw for Conrad. Behind the deadly betrayal stands Maeve, the cunning Harrigan matriarch, who orchestrated the fatal test at a high-stakes family meeting.

“Watch his face when you mention the ‘F’ word,” she urged Conrad before he proposed expanding their criminal empire beyond guns and traditional narcotics. When Conrad brought up the fentanyl business, Archie hesitated, wondering if it was the right move for Harrigans.

The oldest Harrigan took it as the clarity that he needed, believing Maeve was right. Within minutes of the conversation starting, Conrad killed his friend. Meanwhile, Archie’s disappearance and the Harrigan family’s fixer, Harry (Tom Hardy), hiding the body started a new chain of shocking events. The cops get involved, and Harry is questioned about Archie’s disappearance.

Harry mentioned to Conrad that Archie could have been working with the cops, meaning he was a “grass.” For the unversed, “grass” is generally an informant who betrays their fellow criminals by providing crucial information to the police.

When police discover Archie’s body following an anonymous tip, suspicion quickly engulfs the Harrigan family, with Harry’s loyalty seemingly at stake.