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While she has delivered many adored lines in her successful career, Anya Taylor-Joy has less to say for her new film, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Her role reportedly includes just 30 lines of dialogue, meaning she would go months on set without speaking on camera. “I’ve never been more alone than making that movie” the star said in a recent interview, but if you know your action classics, her solitude may have paved the way for success in the genre.
Hard to believe as it may seem, many of the most quoted lines in action movies come from actors who spoke very little. Everyone remembers “I’ll be back” from 1984’s The Terminator, but Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cyborg assassin had just 17 lines of dialogue in James Cameron’s film. “I must break you” was one of nine lines Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) had in Rocky IV (1984), while Keanu Reeves’ John Wick uttered just 380 words in the fourth chapter of the revenge franchise.
The franchise Furiosa is a part of also has its history of strong-but-silent heroes. Her Mad Max: Fury Road predecessors, Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, had 143 lines between them in 2015 (63 for Hardy, 80 for Theron).
All these characters have two things in common - firstly, the actors probably didn’t have to spend much time memorising their lines and secondly, they are all icons in the action genre. They have engraved themselves into the history of movies with sparing dialogue and impressive physicality.
Actions speak louder than words
The reason for this success is simply because the nature of the genre demands it. Action is an art-form where we can see huge explosions, epic chases, and vicious combat. It’s somewhere where actions literally speak louder than words, and so the less a hero has to say, the more intimidating they can be on-screen. How many terrifying bad guys have simply walked towards their target, saying nothing as they take out a weapon and do something unspeakable? Equally, there are many heroes who, without words, scan the room before taking everyone out in a flurry of physicality. In both cases, it’s unpredictable and thrilling, to know that the character is about to do something, but you’re not sure what.
There’s also the vicarious thrill of projecting onto a character who gets things done. One of the great appeals of the action genre is the ability to follow people who do not hesitate, solving problems quickly with no fear. We may not dream of beating someone to death in a lift like Ryan Gosling in Drive, or making the jungle a weapon like John Rambo, but when real life can feel rather daunting, movie characters who stay cool and decisive under pressure can be greatly appealing.
Strong but silent
How Taylor-Joy’s Furiosa fits into this legacy becomes clearer when you understand the character. In the prequel, she is ripped from her home as a child by a biker gang, finding herself in the middle of a war for dominance between war-lords Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme).
Director George Miller’s wasteland is a place of chaos, where high speed chases and mob rule decide the outcome in power struggles. It is loud, but there is little discourse happening. To survive in this world, Furiosa has to adapt to it, keeping her plans close to her chest and outsmarting the many gang members who can’t be won over with an eloquent speech. The rage and violence that is forging her into the warrior she is about to become must be seen through her eyes and her actions, just as it was in Theron’s movie-stealing performance in Fury Road. Her situation and her goals mean she has to rely on instinct, never second guessing something that might save her life. This makes for an engrossing character, as you are required to look at her expression and body language to see where she is coming from, feeling all the bumps on her road to revenge.
At one point in Furiosa, Dementus says “the question is, do you have what it takes to make it epic?” In the world of action movies, that’s not something you answer with words. Taylor-Joy’s 30 lines of dialogue may seem sparse, but in between them will be loud roars of anger, violence, and retribution. All of which add up to a character we’ll never forget.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will be released in cinemas in the US and UK on May 24.
Check out our interviews for the movie - Tom Burke discussing his character Praetorian Jack and director George Miller on whether we might see Furiosa on-screen again.
