Tom Hardy starred in the fourth installment of the Mad Max franchise, embodying the titular character Max Rockatansky. Prior to his acclaimed performance in the 2015 George Miller-helmed endeavor, the role was initially portrayed by Mel Gibson in the first three films. The previous character iteration created high expectations amongst audiences and set a standard that Hardy had to meet or exceed in the dystopian action film.
This posed a significant challenge for the Venom actor.
Read also: Charlize Theron and 10 Other Stars With Bone-Chilling Body Transformation Stories
Tom Hardy initially felt the weight of having to live up to the legacy Mel Gibson had established. The pressure may have also contributed to the much-discussed, highly-reported feud between the actor and his co-star Charlize Theron—the intense details of which were revealed last year in journalist Kyle Buchanan’s book, Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road.
Charlize Theron And Tom Hardy Were Not On The Best Terms
While filming the 2015 movie, an on-set argument caused considerable tension between the two prominent Hollywood figures. The behind-the-scenes details of this severe conflict were disclosed in Buchanan’s book, where the incident was recounted by not only the crew members who were present at the time but also the two stars who had been involved in it.
Mark Goellnicht, the camera operator for Mad Max: Fury Road, recounted the initial events that snowballed into the major confrontation:
“I remember vividly the day. The call on set was eight o’clock. Charlize got there right at eight o’clock […] knowing that Tom’s never going to be there at eight even though they made a special request for him to be there on time. He was notorious for never being on time in the morning.”
Tom Hardy‘s lack of punctuality and professionalism irked Charlize Theron. Another crew member for the film expressed confusion over whether or not the actor’s actions on set indicated a skewed form of power play. Regardless of the actor’s intentions, the behavior was perceived as “deliberately provocative.”
Read also: Charlize Theron Knocked the Lights Out of Co-Star in $11M Crime Film
Goellnicht’s then elaborated on the feud that subsequently occurred between the two:
“Eleven o’clock. She’s now […] sitting there with her makeup on and a full costume for three hours. Tom turns up, and he walks casually across the desert. She jumps out […] and she starts swearing her head off at him, saying, ‘Fine the f*cking c*nt a hundred thousand dollars for every minute that he’s held up this crew,’ and ‘How disrespectful you are!'”
According to Goellnicht, the Legend alum’s reaction to Theron’s claims seemed rather “aggressive.” It was mentioned in the book that Charlize Theron felt “threatened” by the actor. Reflecting upon this, Hardy admitted in the book, “In hindsight, I was in over my head in many ways. The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times.”
As filming continued, a change in Hardy’s demeanor was observed. The two stars were able to get along fine for the rest of the shoot, with camera operator Mark Goellnicht affirming that the English actor grew more compassionate and cooperative over time.
Tom Hardy On Carrying Forward Mel Gibson’s Mad Max Legacy
In an interview with Kinowetter, Tom Hardy candidly confessed that the reputation associated with the titular Mad Max role seemed too grand to live up to. This led him to believe that he was “set up immediately for failure.” Audiences who had witnessed Mel Gibson‘s original depiction of Max Rockatansky had grown used to him. The actor became a major draw for the enjoyers of the franchise.
To not have him star in the fourth installment may have disappointed some. In light of this, Tom Hardy stated:
“In a situation like this […] where you’re inheriting the character with the legacy like Mad Max, who’s synonymous with Mel Gibson […] people are like, ‘If it’s not Mel Gibson playing Mad Max, then it’s not Mad Max, and I’m just not interested.’ And that’s a bit of a counterpoint to the celebration of getting a part where you’re, like, really excited to play it, to realize then that so you’re set up immediately for failure.”
At first, Hardy felt somewhat let down. Eventually, he realized that the key to the depiction of any character is dependent on the creator’s vision and imagination.
Read also: Mel Gibson Reportedly Rejected $185M DCU Movie That Promoted James Gunn to DC Studios CEO
To emphasize his point, the Taboo star claimed, “Max comes from George’s imagination.” Hardy understood that he should not let the expectations placed upon him weigh him down. Instead, he deemed it crucial to bring to life or “transmute” what the esteemed director envisioned for the $526M franchise and its titular protagonist. “I didn’t really have to bring anything new or different to it. I’m just a different person anyway,” affirmed the talent.
Hence, all Hardy needed to do was embark on the journey alongside George Miller, without feeling burdened over having to be “different” or “special” than the previous iteration of Max. Post the release of the 2015 film, people witnessed a powerful portrayal of the popular character. Critics were impressed by Hardy’s interpretation, with Mad Max: Fury Road enjoying a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Based on both the commercial and critical success of the project, we can conclude that Tom Hardy effectively brought George Miller’s vision to life.
Mad Max: Fury Road is available on Prime Video via renting/buying.
Source: Kinowetter
