Anya Taylor-Joy says she wants to shave her head for George Miller's Furiosa. Miller is directing the prequel to his esteemed Mad Max: Fury Road, which has Taylor-Joy starring in the titular role that was originated by Charlize Theron. Also joining the film is Chris Hemsworth, who is said to be playing the villain who is reportedly called Dr. Dementus.
Theron shaved her head for the part of Furiosa in 2015's Fury Road, a role that turned out to be a difficult journey for the actress with plenty of on-set issues between her and co-star Tom Hardy throughout production. The shoot also suffered multiple delays while filming under harsh desert conditions, but eventually paid off due to the critical and commercial success of the film. Shortly after, Miller announced a prequel to the film that would focus on Furiosa but opted to recast the role with Taylor-Joy rather than bring Theron back.
While talking to Furiosa costume designer Jenny Beavan (via Variety), it was revealed that Taylor-Joy is keen to shave her tresses for the complete look, but there's some opposition to it. “She wants to, but George doesn’t want her to," said Beavan. "So I don’t know whether she will or not.” No clarification was offered as to why Miller didn't want Taylor-Joy to shave her head, but it's entirely possible that the character may not have the exact same look as Theron's version, since Furiosa is, in fact, a prequel.
Shooting on Furiosa is expected to kick off anytime between now and June and is expected to take two months to complete, but no official word has been given on a start date just yet. The film is said to be more of a traditional three-act film, rather than a chase film like Fury Road, which will take audiences to locations teased in the previous film, such as Gas Town and the Bullet Farm. Taylor-Joy has expressed that she's excited to go to the extremes needed for Furiosa when talking about her work on Robert Eggers' The Northman as it relates to Miller's Furiosa, saying, "Both filmmakers have a real ambition to bring fascinating images to audiences. The people that they attract to those experiences are people that share that vision so much that you're kind of ready to do anything to make it come true."
Taylor-Joy continues to be a fascinating actor, taking on a variety of roles that continue to push her to the top and challenge her in ways that keep audiences enthralled. From The Witch to Morgan to Split to The Queen's Gambit to Last Night In Soho, she's proven to be a formidable talent that invests completely in the role she's inhabiting, making for some wonderfully odd, dynamic and amazing characters in her burgeoning career. No doubt, Taylor-Joy will inject that same spirit and strangeness into Furiosa, with or without a shaved head. Furiosa is currently slated to release on May 24, 2024.
Source: Variety
