Cast And Crew Of Charlize Theron’s Hit Movie Developed Hypothermia
Charlize Theron, while being interviewed on the Smartless podcast, corrected a common misconception that Mad Max: Fury Road was hot and dusty, explaining it was so cold that some cast and crew suffered hypothermia.
During a recent episode of the podcast Smartless, Charlize Theron revealed that cast and crew members on Mad Max: Fury Road developed hypothermia from how cold it was to film on set. Theron told hosts Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Sean Hayes (Will & Grace), and Will Arnett (Bojack Horseman) that while many scenes look hot, the Namibian location was incredibly cold at the time.
The topic came up when Bateman pointed out how cushy the sets of Arrested Development are compared to a Mad Max film, where he assumed it must be hot and dusty. Charlize Theron quickly shut down the common misconception, met with surprise from all three hosts. For an active, action role, Theron said she prefers the cold anyway.
According to Charlize Theron, the temperature was especially difficult for women in the cast because of their extreme costumes. The actress referred to some of the young actors’ costumes as bandages, and remarked that many women in revealing outfits developed hypothermia. In addition, Theron struggled with her on-set look in the low temperatures.
To achieve a rugged, post-apocalyptic look, the actor had to shave her head bald. She told the guys at Smartless that she didn’t realize how much body heat hair retains. As a result, the cold air whipped across the actor’s bare scalp during the movie’s top-speed scenes.
Charlize Theron’s character in Mad Max: Fury Road, Imperator Furiosa, will return in the franchise’s next installment. Furiosa is a standalone prequel set to be released in 2024. The film reveals the backstory of Furiosa before she encountered Max in Fury Road.
In the upcoming film, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) will portray a younger version of the character. Marvel star Chris Hemsworth and BBC The Muskateers actor Tom Burke co-star with Taylor-Joy. The film is expected to be the biggest ever filmed in Australia, following the success and passionate reception of the last film.
Furiosa follows the titular character as she is abducted from the Green Place of Many Mothers and into the hands of a Biker Horde. Hemsworth leads this horde as the evil Dr. Dementus. Furiosa struggles to find her way home before being employed by Immortan Joe in Fury Road.
The prequel will bring new dimensions to Charlize Theron’s Fury Road character and continue the recent momentum of the revived franchise. Furiosa is the fifth installment in the Mad Max series. While director George Miller chose not to include the Fury Road star, Charlize Theron understands the move to make a spin-off prequel.
After taking over a role from another actor, some choose to reach out to discuss the part. Theron said Taylor-Joy had not contacted her about playing Imperator Furiosa, but she understands why. Moving forward with a property after making casting changes is hard.
Her role in Fury Road and the grueling filming conditions are feathers in Theron’s action star cap. After regaling the Smartless hosts with harrowing tales of the cold winds of Namibia, Theron touched on her passion for the genre and doing as many of her stunts as she could. The star discussed having some limits to protect herself, but she’s not afraid to get rough in front of the camera, no matter the temperature.
