Anya Taylor-Joy Contrasts Furiosa and Princess Peach

During a recent interview, Anya Taylor-Joy was asked to compare the two most recent characters that she has played, Furiosa and Princess Peach. While the actor, known for her work in The Queen’s Gambit and The VVitch, said that the two actually have a lot in common with each other. Even so, while speaking with Rotten Tomatoes correspondent Nikki Novak, Taylor-Joy spoke of the ways in which they were different when it came to their respective fighting styles.

“Honestly, it’s the weirdest thing. I never thought that the two characters in my career that had a lot in common would be Furiosa and Princess Peach. So that’s quite surreal for me. And funnily enough, I was working on both of them at the same time because I did a lot of voice work in Australia. I think Furiosa is more dogged in the sense that’s just like straight in, full force, go for it. Peach is–I think she adds a bit more flourishes to what she’s doing. She likes a flip. She like to make it look attractive, does our Peach.”

You can watch the full interview below:

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What Do The Two Have In Common?

Both characters come from long-running franchises. Peach first appeared in the Super Mario Bros. video game, which was released all the way back in 1985. The character has since gone on to appear in all sorts of Mario-related media. Furiosa originated in Mad Max: Fury Road, the fourth film in the franchise, where she was initially played by Charlize Theron. Furiosia will be the character’s second appearance.

Taylor-Joy’s version of Peach is also much more Amazonian, which creates another similarity with Furiosa. In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Peach proactively goes on the adventure with Mario instead of being a damsel in distress. Though it remains to be seen what Taylor-Joy’s version of the character will accomplish, in Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa likewise takes the initiative to rescue the wives/sex slaves of the main villain, kickstarting the whole plot.

Also, in terms of both franchises as a whole, on the surface, Mario and Mad Max seem like two very different franchises with jarringly different tones. However, one thing that the two worlds have in common is that their denizens have a penchant for tricked-out cars and motorcycles. Unfortunately for Mario Kart fans, Mad Max is the only one where there’s a flame-throwing guitar.

You can currently watch Taylor-Joy’s performance as Princess Peach in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was released on April 5. You’ll be able to see the actor as Furiosa in the movie of the same name next year on May 24, 2024. Until then, you can watch Theron’s take on the character in Mad Max: Fury Road, which is available on both DVD and streaming.