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As far as iconic franchises go, George Miller’sMad Maxfilms are right up there among Hollywood’s favorite films. Miller created the dystopian action series back in 1979 with Mel Gibson, which was followed by 2 successful sequels in the 80s.
After the franchise returned with a bang in 2015 withMad Max: Fury Road,the director roped in Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth for 2024’sFuriosa: A Mad Max Sagawhich is receiving a lot of acclaim since its release. In a recent interview, Miller spoke about the events that led to the casting of Joy after seeing her stunning performance in a film that ironically flopped at the box office.
How George Miller Was Convinced That Anya Taylor-Joy Was The Perfect Furiosa
The 5th installment in the cultMad Maxseries created and directed byGeorge Millerreleased on May 24th 2024, and is already getting a lot of attention at the box office. The post- apocalyptic action thriller has one of Hollywood’s most popular starsAnya Taylor-Joyin the titular role sharing screen space with superstar Marvel alum Chris Hemsworth.
Judging by the initial responses, Joy’s intense and electric performance seems to be one of the highlights of the film. Her unquestionable talent was witnessed by Miller in the psychological horror filmLast Night In Sohodirected by British filmmaker Edgar Wright who is known for his screenplay work in Marvel’sAnt-Man.
Not Even Tom Hardy’s Mad Max: Fury Road Has Broken a Rotten Tomatoes Record Anya Taylor-Joy’s Furiosa Just Set
In an interview with Josh Horowitz in theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, Miller recalled the chain of events that led to castingThe Queen’s Gambitactor as Furiosa. He met Wright who was also his good friend in London, who happened to show him a cut from his film which featured scenes involving Joy who plays a teenager haunted by visions of a woman in the 60s.
Though the film did not fare well at the box office, the Australian filmmaker was extremely impressed with theDune 2star’s performance and could make out from the snippets that she had an innate aura as an actor. Recalling his thoughts on Joy, he said,
There’s something just very powerful, she’s a very powerful presence.
Miller also revealed Wright’s impressions on his lead star which further convinced him that she would be the perfect fit for the protagonist in his nextMad Maxfilm.
He basically told me how she is, her level of skill, he said he didn’t even know us thinking about Furiosa, but he just said, ‘if you’re thinking of casting her, just do it, do it, do it’.
As it turned out, Miller’s chance meeting with Wright and his immediate instincts about Joy’s talent proved to be absolutely spot asFuriosa: A Mad Max Sagais looking good to rule the box office.
Anya Taylor-Joy Had This Commonality With FellowMad MaxAlum Charlize Theron
George Miller was absolutely floored by Anya Taylor-Joy’s presence and acting chops inLast Night in Sohothat ultimately led to her becoming Furiosa. But another significant factor involvingMad Max: Fury Roadstar Charlize Theron also contributed to her presence in the film.
In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporterduring an appearance in Las Vegas, Miller elaborated onThe Menustar’s casting and pointed out an interesting commonality between her and Theron who was front and center in the previous film. This according to the director, was another defining factor for her to play the protagonist.
She was a ballet dancer. Charlize Theron was a ballet dancer. I understand the physical discipline as well as the emotional discipline they have. So all of that led to Anya being in Furiosa.
“She needs to play Queen Rhaenys”: HBO Better Listen to Fans Who Are Begging For Anya Taylor-Joy’s Casting After She Confesses Her Love For House of the Dragon
The filmmaker also praised theDune 2star for being one of the most hardworking and disciplined actors on set despite still being very young. He added that Joy’s mystical allure coupled with her relatability was an interesting dichotomy that gave her an edge in the industry and made her a fan favorite.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Sagais currently playing in theaters.
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
