Anya Taylor-Joy talks about building 'reputation' for 'strange' things

Anya Taylor-Joy explained building up a "reputation" for certain types of female roles onscreen, portraying rage.

Taylor-Joy, 28, in an interview for a GQ cover feature, Emmy-nominated actress disclosed the moments she advocated switching a tearful sequence involving her character to one that aroused rage.

“I’ve developed a bit of a reputation for fighting for feminine rage, which is a strange thing because I’m not promoting violence — but I am promoting women being seen as people,” the Queen's Gambit star explained.

“We have reactions that are not always dainty or unmessy.”

The Furiosa star's advocacy for "female rage" began with her debut role in Robert Eggers' The Witch. During a pivotal scene, her character Thomasin was supposed to cry as she was accused of being the evil presence in the house.

However, the actress struggled to produce tears, leading her to question the script and challenge the expectation that her character should be emotional at that moment. 

This experience marked the start of her journey in advocating for more complex and empowered female characters.

“Eventually I said, ‘She’s angry; she’s fucking pissed. She’s been blamed time and time again, and she’s not doing anything. We have to stop with the crying,'” she recalled telling Eggers.

Although the director gave her the go-ahead for her adjustments, the Menu alum claimed she learnt more from the exchange, including how to stand up for yourself on set.

“I feel so happy for her. Girl, fly, do your thing. Live deliciously, you’ve earned it. This world is not for you,” Taylor-Joy said of her character. “I love the ending of that film.”