Anya Taylor-Joy attends the UK premiere of ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ | Photo credit: Lia Toby

Anya Taylor-Joy is advocating for the portrayal of “female rage” in her film roles, stressing the need for women’s emotions to be fully represented on screen. GQ In the interview, the Emmy-nominated actress revealed her constant efforts to change her characters’ emotional reactions from tears to anger in several key scenes throughout her career.

Taylor-Joy’s advocacy began with Robert Eggers’ first film. WitchInitially, her character Thomasin was supposed to cry when she was accused of witchcraft, but Taylor-Joy could not bring herself to cry, prompting her to suggest an alternative. “She’s angry; she’s so angry,” she recalled, convinced that Thomasin’s repeated scapegoating justified anger rather than grief. Eggers agreed, beginning Taylor-Joy’s journey to bring out the emotional depth of her characters.

This commitment continues in 2022 MenuWhen her character learned of her partner’s murderous intentions, the script called for a tearful reaction. Taylor-Joy challenged this, arguing that the appropriate response would be a physical confrontation. Director Mark Mylod and co-star Nicholas Hoult accepted her suggestion, leading to a more intense and believable scene.

Reunion with Eggers The NorthmanTaylor-Joy again influenced a moment in the film. She suggested her character Olga put menstrual blood on her hand and then slap a man who tries to touch her, which Eggers later described as a “very strong, rebellious and memorable choice”.

In his latest project, Furiosa: A Mad Max SagaTaylor-Joy fought for a scream that reflected her character’s anguish and anger, telling The New York Times, “There’s a scream in that movie, and I’m not kidding when I tell you I fought for three months for that scream”. Her persistence paid off, with director George Miller acknowledging the profound impact her input had in the editing room.

Taylor-Joy admits she is not angry by nature, but feels her roles allow her to express anger, which she often suppresses inside. “I’ve always internalized this feeling of ‘I did something wrong.’ I’m so grateful for Furiosa, because there was a moment when I was really angry at myself.”