Famous people often encounter criticism and media attention in the world of fame and stardom. One act of kindness or rudeness is enough to make an actor come into the spotlight. For example, consider Tom Hardy, the star of Venom, and his unprofessional actions. 

Tom Hardy, who made his film debut in 2001 with Black Hawk Down, is well known for a variety of characteristics, including his aggressive nature. It is no secret that the actor and his Mad Max: Fury Road co-star Charlie Theron did not get along.

Production conflicts are common in the movie industry, but the tension between Theron and Hardy during the making of Mad Max: Fury Road is particularly well-known.

Tom Hardy

The actress, who portrayed the fearsome Imperator Furiosa in the post-apocalyptic thriller, has spoken multiple times about how Hardy’s unprofessional behavior made her feel uncomfortable and unsafe on set.

Inside Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron’s Feud

The actors’ hostile off-screen behavior seemed to reflect their intense on-screen personalities. Charlize Theron brought up Tom Hardy‘s persistent tardiness, saying she once had to wait on set for hours with her baby in nearby childcare.

The Academy Award-winning actress revealed the challenging experience in a 2022 article in The Guardian. As the fiery, fearless Imperator Furiosa, Theron encountered an off-screen reality that was just as difficult as the dystopian setting of George Miller’s 2015 action blockbuster.

Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road

The intense Mad Max: Fury Road scenes initially masked the co-stars’ sour relationship. But later the real story came to light with claims of Hardy’s improper behavior made by the actress, who said:

“I was in survival mode; I was really scared shitless.”

When Theron questioned Hardy, her annoyance boiled:

“How disrespectful are you?”

The mother of two then advised the producers:

“Fine the f**king cunt a hundred thousand dollars for every minute that he is held up this crew.”

Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road

The actress, now 48, reportedly needed protection on set as a result of Hardy’s alleged violent response. As their argument grew more heated, Theron said:

“It got to a place where it was kind of out of hand, and there was a sense that maybe sending a woman producer down could maybe equalize some of it, because I didn’t feel safe.”

However, because her designated producer, Denise Di Novi, was allegedly barred from the set, Theron described feeling “pretty n*ked and alone” after this.

Charlize Theron ‘Didn’t Feel Safe’ Working With Tom Hardy

Nearly a decade after the release of Mad Max: Fury Road, Charlize Theron has spoken out more about the highly publicized argument she had with Tom Hardy on set, who played her co-star.

The production of Mad Max: Fury Road was thus, impacted by Theron and Hardy’s on-screen conflict, according to people who worked on the film. Supporting actress, Zoë Kravitz stated in a 2017 interview that they “did not get along,” and the other leading actors later admitted the same to the New York Times.

Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road

Theron also told Times, noting how Hardy played his Mad Max role that Mel Gibson created in earlier films in the franchise.

“In retrospect, I didn’t have enough empathy to really, truly understand what he must have felt like to step into Mel Gibson’s shoes.”

The South African-American actress further added:

“And I think because of my own fear, we were putting up walls to protect ourselves instead of saying to each other, ‘This is scary for you, and it’s scary for me, too. Let’s be nice to each other.’ In a weird way, we were functioning like our characters: Everything was about survival.”

Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road

Meanwhile, Hardy responded in the same interview:

“I would agree. I think in hindsight, I was in over my head in many ways. The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times. What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced, partner in me. That’s something that can’t be faked. I’d like to think that now that I’m older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion.”

Critics praised George Miller’s 2015 movie Mad Max: Fury Road for its direction, writing, action scenes, musical score, technical aspects, and performances—especially those of Hardy and Theron.