Anya Taylor-Joy is coming with a vengeance. After demonstrating her charismatic acting talent in showstopping films and TV series ranging from horror to unforgettable dramas, the British-Argentine actress is taking her next stop to leave her mark in Hollywood. The next step? The blockbuster action-packed film Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, where she stars alongside Chris Hemsworth (Thor).
Remezlca got the opportunity to talk to Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth during their press tour for their highly-anticipated film that’s already garnering praises throughout the film industry – including a 6-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival (May 15). Elements that help push the film forward are the actress’ relatability in her Latine culture and beyond, how the co-stars connect with the film’s themes of surviving and revenge, and the film’s soundtrack’s ability to transport you into a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Though the actress is taking her next stop in Hollywood – and gracing the film’s media circuit while at it – she still gets excited about everyday Latine treats and spots, which endearingly resonates with her fans.
Case in point: this press tour marked Taylor-Joy’s first time in Mexico. And while Hemsworth served as co-chair at the Met Gala, she enjoyed the country’s cultural offerings. “The food was so good. There was una sopa azteca that I loved. I’m a vegetarian so I had it with vegetable stock instead, but that was amazing.” She continued: “I’d been wanting to go visit Frida Kahlo’s house forever. So that was the first thing I did when I got off the plane.”
But Furiosa’s franchise digs into deeper emotions like surviving in the Wasteland at the end of the world. And what would they bring from their own cultures to survive it? “Compassion. Just the kindness and the warmth with which everybody treats each other,” Taylor-Joy tells Remezcla.
“Yeah, and Vegemite. The two go hand-in-hand,” Hemsworth chimed in. “We can save the world with a compassionate jar of vegemite. A very large jar of Vegemite that can be distributed among all the compassionate friends of ours.” Vegemite is a thick, salty spread made from brewer’s yeast, that you either hate or love from Australia.
Another theme in the film is about getting revenge. The movie’s about Furiosa (played by Taylor-Joy) getting even with warlord Dementus (played by Hemsworth). When asked about how they personally get revenge, the pair joked about their preferences.
“I kind of wish I had more of it,” the actress said. “I know a lot people who are like ‘I’m going to succeed because you were terrible to me!’ and I just don’t have that in me.” “It’s all case by case, isn’t it?” Hemsworth followed up with. “Revenge… if it’s someone playing a prank on me, then I’m pretty creative with pranking back; something that isn’t overly vicious but has a humorous tone to it.”
“When he says it’s not overly-vicious, it means–” Hemsworth fills in Taylor-Joy’s response with, “Yeah, a little bit of blood. One broken bone, or something.” They both laugh. “I don’t think we’re vengeful people,” he concludes.
Moreover, another part of Furiosa and its magic is its soundtrack, composed by Tom Holkenborg, which keeps its audience in an eerie and tense trance throughout the two-hour and 28-minute-long movie. And although Mad Max: Fury Road’s epic guitar-playing character The Doof Warrior only gets a quick cameo this time around, the musical essence remains a big part of the movie to keep you on the edge of your seat while navigating a post-apocalyptic, desert-covered, thirst-inducing ambiance.
“There’s a great song by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs [featuring ft. Perfume Genius] called ‘Spitting Off the Edge of the World’ it’s pretty good,” Taylor-Joy said when asked about what would be on their end-of-the-world playlist. On the other hand, Hemsworth sang a bit of The Doors’ “The End” as a response to his choice.
“We’re both like emos going through the Wasteland,” she says, laughing with her co-star.
And that’s the thing about Taylor-Joy: she unknowingly (or knowingly) shows her easy-going and relatability behind the expensive Hollywood glam by the way she expresses herself.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is now in theaters.
