Anya Taylor-Joy Calls Watching Furiosa Traumatizing

“Within the first three minutes, I’m crying,” she said. “And afterward, I cannot speak. I found it very traumatizing to watch.” However, it was not just the subject matter but also the brutal nature of the filming process. Anya Taylor-Joy shared that Furiosa came with the earliest call time she has ever had on a movie, starting at 1:45 a.m.

George Miller was heavily praised in the making of Mad Max: Fury Road for doing as much of the movie as possible using practical effects rather than resorting to CGI despite how action-heavy the movie was.

Evidently he came into Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga with similar plans, as part of the early call time involved ensuring there was enough time to apply all the makeup to the actors that they would need on set. Anya Taylor-Joy shared that her costume for Furiosa required her to be so covered in sand, dirt, and sweat, that the first time she looked in the mirror afterwards she felt like the creature from the Black Lagoon.

However, it was not just the on-set conditioning that was an added challenge. Anya Taylor-Joy also shared that she got into weightlifting to help her prepare to take on her role as Furiosa.

This not only helped her look the part of a grizzled warrior of the wastelands, but she noted it also came in handy for brandishing all of the weapons her character had to use. Even though the weapons were assuredly not made for real combat, she noted that the guns legitimately were quite heavy.

Then, there was also the aspect of getting into character emotionally. “This is the wasteland, and any outbreak of emotion is punished by death,” said Anya Taylor-Joy about the nature of the world of Furiosa. “Any empathy is punished by death — any kindness, really. It all made sense to me. I think the restrictions that were placed on me by George did create a radiation off the character because she is being suppressed continuously throughout the film.”

Anya Taylor-Joy noted that she understood the kind of energy George Miller wanted Furiosa to have, so she worked to maintain that aura when she was on set. Dealing with that kind of oppressive atmosphere for a full day for a full filming schedule must undoubtedly be draining and take a toll. So it is understandable why Taylor-Joy reacted emotionally when she watched the finished movie after getting back into that headspace.

Even though we know where Furiosa’s story eventually leads her, she has undeniably been one of the most popular characters to come out of the franchise since Max himself. Many have been curious to learn more about her, so this prequel with Anya Taylor-Joy will finally shed more light on what led to the Furiosa we know by the time of Mad Max: Fury Road.

Directed by George Miller and starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will be released in theaters on May 24.

Source: Variety