Chris Hemsworth has revealed that he initially struggled to understand his Furiosa character and feared that his performance might "derail" the Mad Max franchise.
"Often I get a script and I know from the first read, the second read, I know who the character is and I get an instant, sort of, visceral feeling attached to it, like, 'Alright, I've got it.' This I had read two years before I started shooting and was in awe of the script. It was the most beautiful thing I've read. I love George Miller — but I didn't know who this character was," Hemsworth explained to the Happy Sad Confused podcast. "We did about four weeks of rehearsals, and we started digging in and diving into it, and things started coming to me. And then, about two weeks prior to shooting, something clicked. I went, 'Ooh! Ooh. I think that's who it is. I think that's how he moves.' But, in the buildup, and I'm talking a couple years, I was scared out of my mind. I'm like, 'I'm gonna derail one of the most iconic franchises.' I'm gonna bring down Mad Max. It's gonna be my fault."
Hemsworth's role in the Mad Max: Fury Road prequel remains undisclosed, although he has been rumored to be playing a young version of Immortan Joe -- the main antagonist of Fury Road -- who has been confirmed to be appearing in the upcoming film. The actor, who is best known for playing Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, previously described his Furiosa character as "a very complicated, somewhat evil individual." Despite the character's villainous intentions, Hemsworth explained that he tried to find "ways to defend his actions and empathize and understand him" and that "there's a light and a darkness to him that I haven't played with before."
Anya Taylor-Joy Is Furiosa
Anya Taylor-Joy is playing a young Imperator Furiosa in the upcoming prequel film, replacing Charlize Theron who originated the role in 2015's Fury Road. Set several years before the events of the 2015 film, Furiosa will follow the title character as she is "snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus," according to the film's official synopsis. "Sweeping through the Wasteland they come across the Citadel presided over by Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home."
Furiosa will be the fifth film in the Mad Max franchise, which began in 1979 with Mad Max. Starring Mel Gibson, the Australian dystopian action film followed the title character in a near-future Australia amid societal collapse. The film was successful at the box office, leading to three sequels: Mad Max 2 aka The Road Warrior (1981), Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). Gibson starred in the first three films, with Tom Hardy taking over the title role in Fury Road.
Furiosa -- currently in post-production -- will open in theaters on May 24, 2024.
Source: YouTube