In 2015, filmmaker George Miller released the blockbuster film Mad Max: Fury Road. The film featured Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron in the lead roles. Both Hardy and Theron aced their roles so well in the film that it’s indeed hard to imagine anyone else in their place. However, Hardy wasn’t Miller’s first choice for the protagonist’s role.
During an interview, the filmmaker claimed the list of actors for the lead actor was long as he considered many other actors for the role as well. One of them was Heath Ledger, who couldn’t make it to film because of his sudden demise.
Looking for a perfect cast for Mad Max: Fury Road was a great toil for George Miller
Among the many remarkable films in Tom Hardy‘s career, “Mad Max: Fury Road” stands out as one of his finest works. His role as Max Rockatansky was well appreciated by the audience, as the actor undoubtedly aced his performance. While imagining someone else play Max would be so hard for the fans, it will be surprising to know that Hardy wasn’t the first choice of the filmmakers for the role.
Since Mad Max: Fury Road is an Australia-based film that is primarily shot in Australia, the major preference of the filmmakers was an Australian actor who would mingle better with the atmosphere. For the role, veteran Australian actor Eric Bana was also one of the names considered.
Apart from him, many other actors like Michael Fassbender, Jeremy Renner, and Armie Hammer were in the race to be cast as Mad Max. According to casting director Ronna Kress,
“The whole process of casting Max took close to a year.”
Among all the actors who were considered for the role of Mad Max, Heath Ledger’s name was on top. The director of the film, George Miller, said,
“The person who was foremost in my mind was Heath. Every time he’d come through Sydney, he’d pop in and we’d talk generally about things and then we started to talk about Mad Max. We lost him, which was such a pity — not for Mad Max but because he was an exceptional person. He had a very powerful sense of inquiry and was amazingly humble.”
To everyone’s surprise, rapper Eminem was also considered to play the sci-fi icon as well. But ultimately, the role was booked by Tom Hardy.
Tom Hardy became the ultimate choice to play Mad Max
The Mad Max franchise began with the release of its first film, Mad Max, in 1979. The film featured Mel Gibson in the titular role, who indeed set the bar really high for any other actor playing Mad Max. Gibson appeared as Mad Max in three films of the franchise, and later he was replaced by Tom Hardy.
However, Hardy’s selection for the role was not a one-day task for the filmmakers, as certain crucial points had to be considered before making any final call. Mad Max’s age was a contentious issue among the fans. And to get the perfect actor for the role, who is close in age to Gibson, was a hard task. On the other hand, Miller has always been very strict with his casting and has always made sure that the chosen actor is close to the character’s age.
However, in Mad Max: Fury Road, the director decided to break his cardinal rule and cast Tom Hardy as Mad Max, even though the actor was way too young in comparison to Gibson’s age. Miller decided to cast Hardy, as he was indeed impressed by his acting abilities and knew that he would bring a new dynamic to the character.
Source: Vulture
