We are only a few weeks away from that Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, One of the most anticipated action films of the decade, especially for car lovers like us. In the George Miller-directed film, Anya Taylor-Joy plays the title role, which was created by Charlize Theron in 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road, with the new film serving as an origin story for the character. In a fabulous new profile with diversityTaylor-Joy talks about driving apocalyptic vehicles during filming and how she wants to buy a Ferrari Dino even though she doesn’t have her own driver’s license.
Fury Road but was filmed in Namibia Angry was filmed in Miller’s native Australia. As with the Oscar-winning predecessor, Miller relied largely on practical effects in the new film and created elaborate stunt scenes full of action custom-built hot rods, ATVs, motorcycles and monster trucks all of which are covered in things like spikes and flamethrowers. (One sequence in particular was said to have taken eight months to complete.) Taylor-Joy did much of the stunt work herself, but as she revealed diversityshe actually doesn’t have a license:
Another challenge: Furiosa drives fast, an obstacle since Taylor-Joy doesn’t have a driver’s license. “I don’t think I thought about crashing anything,” she says, adding that she tried to get more sleep the nights before filming the big chase sequences on motorcycles and other “Mad Max” vehicles to get.
[Co-star Chris] Hemsworth laughs when asked if he filmed those scenes with an unlicensed driver. “I wasn’t aware of it at the time,” he says. “I think she gets a license automatically, right?” He imagines Taylor-Joy marching to the DMV: “‘Here’s my driver’s test,’ she’d say, and give them a ticket for ‘Furiosa!’ give. And then the instructor should say, “Oh yeah.” We get it. You can do it!’”
For an actress, not having a license is not uncommon since she splits her time between so many locations while filming and most people in LA just get driven around in Escalades anyway. But Taylor-Joy’s family gave her a good foundation to become interested in everything related to engines:
She grew up in Argentina and moved to London when she was six, the youngest child in a family of six children. She always saw herself as a tomboy who loved playing outside. “My father is a motorboat racer,” she says, “and we love Formula 1.” The only reason she doesn’t have a driver’s license, she says, is because she has no place she can imagine as a permanent home (although (she hangs her hat in Los Angeles when she’s not filming). “I’m never in one place long enough to get one,” she says. “I also feel like I probably need to learn how to parallel park. This is something I don’t know how to do.”
Later in the piece, Taylor-Joy reveals this before she begins filming Dune 3 or any other project, she wants to buy a car – and a good one. Anya, if you’re reading this, I live in Los Angeles and know the right people, I can help you find your dream dino. Call me. For anyone else reading this, go to diversity to read the full profile. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga hits theaters on May 24th.
But before she has time to return to space, or possibly Furiosa – if Miller’s latest futuristic vision succeeds – she has plans of her own. With or without a driving license, she sees herself behind new wheels. “I know exactly what kind of car I’m going to get,” she says. “Ferrari Dino, in yellow.”
Taylor-Joy speeding down Sunset in a canary-colored vintage Ferrari with the top down would certainly attract paparazzi, but she won’t let that stop her. “My agents, my friends say, ‘This is the dumbest thing in the world,'” she says. “I think, ‘I’m drawn to this car.’ I have to have this car. I don’t care.’” Soon, all of Los Angeles could see this newly minted movie star step on the accelerator and drive away.