As far as iconic franchises go, George Miller’s Mad Max films 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 with Mad Max: Fury Road, the director roped in Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth for 2024’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga which 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 cult Mad Max series created and directed by George Miller released 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 stars Anya Taylor-Joy in 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 film Last Night In Soho directed by British filmmaker Edgar Wright who is known for his screenplay work in Marvel’s Ant-Man.
In an interview with Josh Horowitz in the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Miller recalled the chain of events that led to casting The Queen’s Gambit actor 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 the Dune 2 star’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 next Mad Max film.
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 as Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is looking good to rule the box office.
Anya Taylor-Joy Had This Commonality With Fellow Mad Max Alum Charlize Theron
George Miller was absolutely floored by Anya Taylor-Joy’s presence and acting chops in Last Night in Soho that ultimately led to her becoming Furiosa. But another significant factor involving Mad Max: Fury Road star Charlize Theron also contributed to her presence in the film.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter during an appearance in Las Vegas, Miller elaborated on The Menu star’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.
The filmmaker also praised the Dune 2 star 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 Saga is currently playing in theaters.
