Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy Finally Reveal Reason Behind Infamous Mad Max Feud

A new interview has now cleared the air as to what went down on the set of Mad Max: Fury Road between Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron.

Mad Max: Fury Road is set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic society characterized by a harsh desert wasteland with little resources, the majority of which the antagonistic leader, Immortan Joe, and his enslaved Wives hoard.

The critically acclaimed science-fiction film was released in 2015 as the fourth episode of director George Miller's Max Max series, which he co-created with Byron Kennedy and began with the first film in 1979.

Fury Road received a slew of awards upon its release, and it went on to become the Mad Max franchise's highest-grossing picture.

Mad Max Cast Revisit Tense Working Environment

Members of the cast and crew of Mad Max: Fury Road, including Hardy and Theron, as well as Nicholas Hoult, reflected on the actors' infamous "feud," which arose from a volatile clash in the actors' vastly different approaches to acting as well as different expectations for timeliness and professionalism on set, in an interview with Vanity Fair.

The two's hostility developed to the point where, as Theron recounts, "everything was about survival" in the face of the tremendous animosity, which included moments of yelling bouts followed by periods of refusing to talk to one another. Some cast members justified Hardy's violence and lack of professionalism by noting his adherence to method acting, which rendered him unreliable.

Many others, including Theron, recall that his disdain and aggressive provocation reached a point where she felt legitimately endangered and enlisted the help of a female producer to accompany her at all times to ensure her safety and arbitrate between the two performers.

Theron and Hardy Astound Co-Stars With Their Amazing Cordiality

Cast members reassuringly recalled that the filming of a critical sequence marked a turning point in their relationship, much to everyone's surprise and relief.

After wrapping the scene in which Hardy and Theron ride a motorcycle together as the Vuvalini and the Wives trail close behind, cast members reported getting "goosebumps" observing the actors' civility and cordiality with one another.

This transformation in Hardy and Theron's demeanor enabled and then reflected their strong portrayal of Max and Furiosa's relationship progression over the course of Fury Road, according to numerous cast members' recollections.

Nonetheless, the film's universally appreciated ideas of feminine strength, as embodied by Theron's character of Furiosa, clash uneasily with the reported toxicity and violence of Hardy's behavior toward her during filming.

Hopefully, these progressive themes transcend such behavior, as Hardy admits in the interview that Theron needed a "better...more experienced partner in me" and that he hopes that he can now "rise to the occasion," implying that the years since the film's production have provided him with an opportunity to grow and develop accountability as an actor and human.