Despite falling in love with Charlize Theron’s portrayal of Furiosa, Anya Taylor-Joy wanted to do the role differently

Fans may be disappointed not to see Charlize Theron reprise her role in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. It was Theron’s portrayal of Imperator Furiosa that made the character so iconic among movie lovers. Anya Taylor-Joy portrays a younger version of Theron’s character in the new movie. She admitted that she never tried to mimic the Monster actress’s portrayal. Taylor-Joy believed that she should do something different because it was impossible to step into Theron’s shoes.

The first look of Anya Taylor-Joy in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
The new trailer for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga dropped earlier, undoubtedly exceeding expectations. Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth are almost unrecognizable as Furiosa and Warlord Dementus.

Anya Taylor-Joy’s Refused To Mimic Charlize Theron’s Portrayal Of Furiosa

Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road

When the prequel series was announced, fans were disappointed to learn that Charlize Theron would not return. Director George Miller explained to The New York Times that he initially thought he could digitally de-age the Atomic Blonde actress. However, he understood that the particular technology hadn’t reached his desired levels. He shared, “Despite the valiant attempts on The Irishman, I think there’s still an uncanny valley.”

Miller cast Anya Taylor-Joy as the younger version of Furiosa after a single audition test where she nailed the lines from the 1976 film, Network. While Theron understood Miller’s creative decision and the reason behind it, she still admitted to being heartbroken in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The Long Shot actress also added that she was grateful for having a part in creating the character.

However, Theron’s heartbreak turned out to be a great opportunity for Taylor-Joy, who had an excellent portfolio of roles in projects like The Witch and The Queen’s Gambit. The Menu actress shared her admiration of Theron’s character with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. She believed that the Tully actress’s portrayal was something that she didn’t want to mimic but endeavored to match in the spinoff film. Taylor-Joy shared with Josh Horowitz:

“She did such an incredible job and it was so beautiful and I can’t even think about trying to step into her shoes. It has to be something different because it just can’t be done. The level of commitment by those that have come before me, I endeavor to match that. That makes me really excited. [Charlize is] unbelievable.”

She also shared that she had immense respect for the creators who envisioned this “crazy world” of the Mad Max franchise. For the Split actress, the role was life-changing, since the filming itself was something she had never experienced before.

Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlize Theron Haven’t Spoken To Each Other

Anya Taylor-Joy as a younger Furiosa in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
In another interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Charlize Theron revealed that Anya Taylor-Joy didn’t call her after getting the part. The Fast X actress’s revelation was not a criticism because she completely understood why it must be awkward for the EMMA actress. She even called Taylor-Joy “one of the greatest f**king actresses”. Theron told The Hollywood Reporter:

“I get that. It’s always tricky. Who wants to pick up the phone and say, like, ‘Hey, we’re going to go do this without you.’ No one wants to do that. So, I totally get that. And I love George. I know I’ll talk to him again. I think it was just too hard.”

The Last Night in Soho actress shared with People that neither of them connected before filming out of respect for each other. Taylor-Joy affirmed that she would meet up with Theron after the press tour and exchange stories from the Mad Max sets. The Thoroughbreds actress told People:

“Charlize was sweet enough — I think both of us ended up in a situation where we were both so respectful of each other that we didn’t want to reach out prior [to filming]. The second it was over, once this press tour is over, we’re having dinner and we’re going to swap war stories for sure.”

Furiosa is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 24, 2024.