Anya Taylor-Joy’s character, Furiosa, will have only around 30 lines of dialogue in the upcoming “Mad Max: Fury Road” prequel film, as revealed in a recent profile of director George Miller published by The Telegraph. This news may not be surprising to fans of the franchise, considering that both Tom Hardy and Mel Gibson had minimal dialogue in Miller’s previous “Mad Max” movies. Despite this, Taylor-Joy advocated for Furiosa to have a louder presence in the new film.
In an interview with The New York Times, Taylor-Joy revealed that during the filming of the movie, she would go for “months” without uttering a single line of dialogue. She admitted that it was an isolating experience, saying, “I’ve never felt more alone than when making that film. It’s difficult to explain, but everything I anticipated to be effortless turned out to be challenging.”
During a recent interview, when the actor was questioned about the challenges she faced on the set of “Furiosa,” she replied, “Next question, sorry. Talk to me in 20 years. Talk to me in 20 years.”
Taylor-Joy emphasized the importance of showcasing a moment of female rage on screen for Furiosa. Despite Miller’s intention to portray her character as internal as possible, Taylor-Joy stressed the significance of highlighting this aspect of her character.
“I have to start by saying that I absolutely adore George, and if you’re going to entrust this kind of project to anyone, he’s the person you want,” Taylor-Joy expressed. “However, George had a very specific vision for Furiosa’s intense and determined expression, which meant that for a significant part of the film, I was only able to use my eyes as a means of conveying emotions. It was all about keeping my mouth closed and using my eyes to speak. That was the extent of my performance.”
“We are all creatures of instinct, and there comes a breaking point where one simply loses control,” Taylor-Joy expressed. “In the film, there is a single scream, and I can honestly say that I passionately fought for that scream for a period of three months.”
“George plays the long game,” Taylor-Joy emphasized.
Taylor-Joy emphasized the importance of maintaining open and respectful communication with Miller regarding any notes she had about Furiosa. She made it clear that she never acted insolently and always approached the discussions as a collaborative conversation. Taylor-Joy acknowledged that Miller’s vision ultimately guides the project, and while she can offer her input, she recognizes that his word is final.
“Furiosa” is set to hit theaters on May 24th, distributed by Warner Bros., after making its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. For a comprehensive profile on Taylor-Joy, you can visit The New York Times’ website.