Gal Gadot Reveals the Wild Four-Hour ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Audition She Nearly Landed With Tom Hiddleston

Long before she became synonymous with the Lasso of Truth, Gal Gadot was just another actress in the mix for one of the most physically demanding blockbusters of the past two decades. George Miller’s ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ famously put dozens of performers through an intense, unconventional casting process before landing on its final ensemble.

That casting process has become something of legend in Hollywood circles, with names like Angelina Jolie, Jessica Chastain, and Ruth Negga all reportedly in the mix at various points before the role finally went to Charlize Theron. It turns out Gadot was much closer to a completely different career path than most fans ever realized, and she wasn’t auditioning alone.

Gal Gadot revealed that she and Tom Hiddleston auditioned for ‘Mad Max: Fury Road‘ together for four hours, but neither of them landed the part, as George Miller “had a vision” they weren’t part of. Speaking on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast with host Josh Horowitz, Gadot explained that she and Hiddleston screen-tested together in London for the role of Imperator Furiosa, a role that ultimately went to Theron opposite Tom Hardy’s Max Rockatansky.

“I did my match test with Tom Hiddleston. We were in London,” Gadot recalled, describing the intensity of the process. “We came to London, and I remember walking into this beautiful home in London, into this office, and we stayed there for four hours.” She noted the physical demands of the audition itself, adding that she arrived bundled up against the cold London winter but “came out in like a tank top” by the time it was over.

Gadot didn’t hold back praising her scene partner during that long-ago session, calling Hiddleston “such an incredible actor” despite not knowing much about him at the time. “He was like a big theater actor in England, but he was so amazing,” she said, reflecting on just how strong she felt their chemistry was during the extended screen test.

Despite that confidence, the role ultimately went elsewhere, with Miller opting for a different direction entirely. Gadot acknowledged as much when reflecting on the outcome, explaining, “George really knew he had a vision for what he wanted,” a vision that apparently didn’t include either her or Hiddleston.

This isn’t the first time Gadot’s near-miss with the role has come to light. A previous account from Kyle Buchanan’s book “Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road” revealed that Miller’s own casting director, Ronna Kress, described Gadot’s audition as “incredibly good work,” though her age ultimately created complications given she was also being considered for the film’s Wives characters alongside Furiosa.

‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ went on to become a critical and commercial phenomenon following its 2015 release, eventually winning six Academy Awards. Gadot, meanwhile, would go on to become one of the biggest names in superhero cinema through her own franchise just a year later, proving that losing out on one iconic role didn’t stop her from finding another.

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