Earlier this week, Anya Taylor-Joy was confirmed to headline George Miller’s upcoming Furiosa spinoff as a younger version of the character originated by Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road. Many fans were originally hoping to see Theron herself reprise the role in a potential sequel, but it seems that Miller is more interested in winding the clock backwards to explore Furiosa’s origin story. Fortunately, Taylor-Joy is also a huge fan of Theron’s, and she’s well-aware that expectations are high.
Taylor-Joy discussed landing the role while appearing on MTV’s Happy Sad Confused podcast (via IndieWire). Right now, she’s reuniting with The Witch director Robert Eggers on his next move, The Northman. That movie is shooting in Belfast, which also happens to be where Taylor-Joy saw Fury Road for the first time. And it sounds like her casting prompted a literal stroll down memory lane.
“I walked past the cinema where I first was amazed by this incredible mind of George Miller,” said Taylor-Joy. “It’s difficult to put into words. I feel so humbled and grateful. I think the first thing I thought was ‘I am so excited to work so hard.’ The level of commitment that has been shown by those who came before me, I endeavor to match that. That makes me really excited. I have so much respect for the originators of this crazy world and this collection of characters. I am excited to work really hard.”
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Theron previously confessed that it was “heartbreaking” for her to walk away from Furiosa. Regardless, Taylor-Joy has already begun developing her own take on the character. She acknowledged that she won’t be able to match Theron’s intensity. However, she aims to work as hard as she can to honor her performance.
“I fell in love with Furiosa because of the way Charlize presented her,” added Taylor-Joy. “She did such an incredible job. It was so beautiful. 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.”
“I’ve already started dreaming about [Furiosa] and she’s coming in very strong,” continued Taylor-Joy. “I’m so committed to working as hard as possible as I can. I always said that I wanted a role that I would have to give everything to, it wouldn’t just be my mind but my body, what I’m doing with myself when I’m not on set. I’m so excited for that and to push myself past the limits of what my brain thought was possible.”
Furiosa will also star Chris Hemsworth and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in supporting roles. Warner Bros. has yet to give the film an official greenlight.
How do you think Anya Taylor-Joy will fare as the new Furiosa? Let us know in the comments down below!
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