George Miller reveals the main reason why he chose Anya Taylor-Joy over Charlize Theron in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
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| Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures |
Charlize Theron gave shape and depth to the character of Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road and it was precisely that push that probably encouraged the development of a prequel project which, however, opted for another actress for the role. Anya Taylor-Joy will play a young Furiosa, retracing the origins of the character and getting ever closer to the path taken in Mad Max: Fury Road. But why was Charlize Theron replaced by Anya Taylor-Joy? A precise explanation comes from director George Miller, who has been working on the Mad Max universe for years.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, why George Miller chose another actress instead of Charlize Theron
Furiosa became an iconic character thanks to Charlize Theron's performance, which is why many fans of the saga believed that she would have the starring role in the prequel too. George Miller explained the reason for the different casting, as he wanted to delve deeper into the origins of the Empress in a post-apocalyptic universe. Being a prequel, the film needed a young version of Furiosa, which is why instead of rejuvenating Charlize Theron (also with the support of special effects), the director preferred to choose another actress.
A risk, according to the director, was that she had to take herself because she is not a fan of rejuvenation. He feared that by using it, she would create an unwanted effect and turn fans away from the film. Interviewed by Empire, Miller clarified why it was necessary to opt for another actress and why that choice fell on Anya Taylor-Joy:
I definitely would have chosen Charlize Theron if Furiosa had been made before Fury Road. As time went by, I began to think that I could use the rejuvenation technique. Then I saw masterful directors like Ang Lee and Martin Scorsese, with Gemini Man and The Irishman, and I changed my mind. All you could think about was, 'Look how well the technology works.' It wouldn't have been convincing. Ultimately, for me the answer is intuitive. There is an innate, unflinching quality to Anya Taylor-Joy. She is a very determined and rigorous person. She has a mystical charm about her. And when she was young she trained as a classical dancer, like Charlize. Both have that precision that is necessary.
In summary, according to the director, if he had used the rejuvenation technique on Charlize Theron to make her the protagonist of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, viewers would probably have focused above all on the value of the special effects rather than completely immersing themselves in the story of the film. To avoid all this, he sacrificed the involvement of Charlize Theron, who made Furiosa a character worthy of her name in Fury Road, opting for a recasting.
