Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron combined their excellence in presenting Mad Max: Fury Road which instantly captivated audiences. While their on-screen chemistry was a complete bang, their off-screen bond was otherwise, creating quite a buzz even before the production kicked off.
However, things could have been completely different had director George Miller got his original choice for Theron’s Furiosa role for the movie.
Mad Max: Fury Road Had Another Actor in Mind Before Casting Charlize Theron for Furiosa
One cannot imagine anyone else other than Charlize Theron for the Imperator Furiosa role in Mad Max: Fury Road who ate and left no crumbs. However, things were initially different when they were looking for a perfect cast to fill in the shoes.
According to the oral history of the movie published in The New York Times, Kill Bill star Uma Thurman was once considered for the role.
Producer Doug Mitchell revealed that they were looking for other actresses that would fit for the role, including the Pulp Fiction star.
“There were a number of names thrown out for the female lead back when we first started, [like] Uma Thurman.”
While the producer didn’t go into details about what exactly happened after they considered Thurman, she would have brought her charm to the role.
Her portrayal of The Bride in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series is one of her best action roles, where she brings depth, and intensity to the character, showcasing her physical prowess in a series of intricate fight scenes.
Her dedication to her role is applaudable as she went through different ordeals during the production process that even questioned her safety. Nonetheless, Theron’s portrayal as Furiosa still remains iconic thanks to her utmost dedication, even affecting her bond with her co-star, Tom Hardy.
What Went Wrong With Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road?
The co-stars were known to have a bad relationship throughout the production process in the Namibian desert which stemmed from alleged unprofessional behavior that ticked off Theron.
In Kyle Buchanan’s book Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road, the author gave an insight into the work environment. While the book shared the opinions of the cast and crew of that set, it also mentioned that their issue was resolved by the time production ended.
According to cinematographer Mark Goellnicht, both actors took different approaches to their craft. While Hardy was “very physical and all over the place” and “provocative,” Theron took a “cerebral, consistent,” and “not [provocative]” approach.
As the Venom star constantly asked questions to comprehend George Miller’s direction better, his co-star, on the other hand, went into “survival mode” to tackle the situations she was put through. All these factors created a tense environment on set, which was felt overall by everyone. Despite the off-screen frosty relationship, they left their issues behind to give their best input, which was visible in the movie.
The Furiosa saga is continued with its prequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, and is set to release on May 24 in the US.
Meanwhile, Mad Max: Fury Road is available on Max.
