George Miller’s Obsessive ‘Mad Max’ Haircut Anecdote!

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Fans of Mad Max believed that the trilogy from the 70s and 80s would mark the end of George Miller’s cherished film series. However, they were taken aback when a highly praised sequel emerged 30 years later, which many argued surpassed any of its predecessors in quality. The exceptional critical and box office success of Mad Max: Fury Road subsequently led to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a film that received widespread acclaim from critics, with fans still eagerly anticipating more from the renowned Australian director. In an exclusive interview, MovieWeb spoke with actor Ben Smith-Petersen (currently appearing in Shudder’s The Dead Thing), who served as a stunt professional on both of Miller’s recent Mad Max films, and we gained some insights into the true nature of the director behind the scenes.

George is remarkably meticulous, given the grandeur of the projects he’s involved in. This was highlighted by Smith-Petersen during an interview with MovieWeb, who shared a fascinating story from the set as evidence.

He skillfully halted a shot during our filming of an enormous explosion from a fuel tanker. This was a one-time event due to the explosion’s size. He then stopped the vehicle, approached the dummy (which is used instead of real people in such intense fires), and carefully trimmed the wig on the dummy alone. This man shows care even in the smallest details. It’s truly impressive and intricate. Moreover, in both films, there were hundreds of stunt performers, but he remembers everyone’s name and addresses them personally.

How Those ‘Mad Max’ Haircuts Impacted ‘The Dead Thing’

MovieWeb had a chat with Smith-Petersen during his promotional tour for his latest Shudder film, titled “The Dead Thing“, a thrilling romantic chiller perfect for Valentine’s Day viewing. During our conversation, we were also joined by the movie’s director, Elric Kane, who shared an amusing backstage link between “The Dead Thing” and Miller’s “Furiosa“.

In our film, it was George who arranged for Ben’s haircut since I had cast Ben with long hair during the interview, and then Ben informed me, “By the way, I need to quickly visit Australia.” Consequently, he ended up shaving his head. Initially, I hesitated, but eventually thought, “Well, okay, it fits.” It has a somewhat skull-like appearance, and surprisingly, it suited our movie as well. Thank you, George, for this unexpected twist.

Smith-Petersen (who is married to actress Riley Keough in real life) revealed during our conversation that they recently marked their 10th wedding anniversary. Interestingly, the film “The Dead Thing” explores various modern dating apps, a subject with which he has little experience. In our interview, his co-star Blu Hunt also shared insights and discussed how this aspect enhances Ben’s enigmatic, mysterious persona in their fresh thriller. “It suits his character well,” said Hunt, “because he’s somewhat detached.” He continued, “It’s all quite dreamlike for him, you know? He’s a bit lost. I think it’s like, he doesn’t fully understand what he’s drawn to, but he’s fixated on the person right in front of him.

The Dead Thing will begin streaming on Shudder Friday.

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2025-02-13 08:01