George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road, one of the best movies of the 2010s (and, let’s face it, of all-time), came out five years ago this week. That’s five years of the Doof Warrior, five years of the “what a lovely day!” GIF, five years of Charlize Theron: action star. Without Fury Road, there would be no Atomic Blonde, and that would be a darn shame. Theron and co-star Tom Hardy notoriously did not get along on the set of the Oscar-winning film (you’d get annoyed with your co-workers, too, if you were “in the desert for so long”), but they only have nice things to say about each other now.
“Charlize arguably laid down the finest lead character in an action movie, and that credit is much deserved,” Hardy said in the New York Times‘ oral history of Mad Max: Fury Road. “Both to her as a phenomenal talent and also to George for recognizing from the very start that it was time to pass Mel’s shoes onto Furiosa.” It’s a great performance, obviously, but Theron also shaped the look and personality of Furiosa, including her hair.
“At first, Furiosa was this very ethereal character, with long hair and some African mud art on her face. It was a different costume designer back then, before Jenny Beavan, and the costume felt a little more Barbarella-y. I worried about it.”
Theron credits Miller for “hearing me out,” for listening when she called him and said, “I don’t know how she’s getting by in the mechanics’ room with all this hair. I think we need to shave my head, and she needs to be a more androgynous, grounded character.” Weirdly, that’s what Elijah Wood said about his character in Happy Feet Two, also directed by Miller (what a wild career). Anyway, Theron had such a pleasant-in-retrospect experience with Miller that they’re reportedly working on a Furiosa spin-off.
The Doof Warrior is willing to reprise his role, but only if gets a hefty raise (three flame-throwing guitars).
(Via the New York Times)
