George Miller Talks About Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron’s Feud on ‘Fury Road’ Set

George Miller, the director of ‘Mad Max: Fury Road,’ shed light on the infamous on-set clash between stars Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. Reflecting on the tension, Miller noted, “They were just two very different performers.”

Miller elaborated on the dynamic, explaining, “Tom has a certain damaged brilliance, and whatever he was going through at the time often meant he needed coaxing out of his trailer. In contrast, Charlize, with her dancer’s training, was incredibly disciplined and always the first on set.”

Also Read: ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ Features an Action Scene That Took 78 Days to Film

Despite the friction, Miller viewed their behaviour as reflective of their characters, who also had to learn to cooperate for survival. However, he acknowledged that while using great performances to justify disruptive behaviour is common in the industry, it’s not acceptable.

In the ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ oral history book, ‘Blood, Sweat & Chrome,’ Theron likened their relationship to “two parents in the front of the car. We were either fighting or icing each other – I don’t know which is worse – and they had to deal with it in the back. It was horrible! We should not have done that; we should have been better. I can own up to that.”

Both Hardy and Theron have since taken responsibility for their feud, attributing it to the film’s gruelling schedule and a lack of mutual trust.

As Miller embarked on his latest project, ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,’ he made sure to address these issues with the new cast, including Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. He emphasised the importance of safety on set, both physical and psychological. “It’s not like the wild old days,” he told them.

‘Furiosa,’ a prequel to ‘Mad Max: Fury Road,’ is already receiving glowing reviews ahead of its 24th May release. IndieWire’s David Ehrlich praised it as “really, really good,” highlighting its distinct approach compared to ‘Fury Road’ while enhancing the original’s lore. Collider’s Therese Lacson expressed a desire to see more of Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne as Furiosa and Fandango’s Erik Davis described the film as “a ferocious & relentlessly paced epic with the craziest chases, the most bombastic characters, and stunning cinematography.”