It's still a bit disappointing that Charlize Thon will not be returning to Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road. Her performance was so compelling that it earned her a prequel. However, the Furiosa movie is set in the past of the Imperators. Anya Taylor Joy of The Witch and The Queens Gambit fame can do a better job than Charlize Theron. It took a 45-year-old film, and a film that has not even been released yet, to get her the part.
Advertisement
This movie is Edgar Wrights incredibly (and somewhat annoyingly at this stage) mysterious Last Night in Solo. The director showed a cut to George Miller, Mad Max director. Empire reports that Miller was searching for a new Furiosa and said that he was impressed by Taylor-Joys performance. Wright had nothing but praises for Taylor-Joys, earning her an audition.
Taylor-Joy and Miller couldn't meet up because of the pandemic (according the interview, they still don't). Miller auditioned on tape, using a monologue that Peter Finch's Oscar-winning speech from Network in 1976. This monologue is so well-written, it's amazing performed, earning Paddy Chayefsky and Finch Oscars for Best Actor/Screenplay. Network was one of the most important American films ever made.
The speech is essentially about Howard Beale as a newscaster who loses his job and calls out the society for its bullshit with increasing anger. This amazing on-air rant is the culmination of it all.
You can see the potential for Furiosa to be a useful gauge. It is certainly violent, but it also has a sense of betrayal and pathos that could help someone who wants to live in the Mad Max hellscape. Furiosa must have more than fury. Taylor-Joy could do the Network scene and would be a great lead. Miller claims that Miller was right.
The speech is not only brilliant in writing but also a piece that can easily be filmed. You don't even need to have an actor as your partner. Anya did one version and it was very good. After that, I gave her a few notes about intent and she just nail [it]. It was probably done on an iPhone. It was sent to the studio. I explained to her why I believed she was the right person for the job. Although I was happy to discuss it, it was so compelling that we decided not to.
G/O Media could be eligible for a commission on the HP Chromebook 11. This is a great back-to-school pick!
Students love the long battery life. Purchase HP for $230
Anya Taylor-Joy doesn't owe much to Edgar Wright, George Miller or anyone else who sold her an iPhone. Her talent is what earned her this role. Everyone who is looking forward to Furiosa may want to thank all those people.
Are you curious about where our RSS feed went. The new one can be found here.
