Why Charlize Theron Claims She Needed Protection From Tom Hardy on 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

Charlize Theron has claimed she felt so threatened by Tom Hardy on the set of Mad Max: Fury Road that she needed to hire protection.

In Kyle Buchanan's new book Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road the cast and crew of the film looked back at the conditions on set, including the animosity between Theron and Hardy.

In excerpts from the book obtained by The Guardian, Theron made allegations of unprofessional behavior and aggression by Hardy, with other crew members making similar claims.

Why Charlize Theron Says She Needed Protection on the Set of 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

The book details how Hardy was persistently late for work, and in one instance he left Theron waiting on set for more than three hours.

Camera operator Mark Goellnicht stated that despite her co-star's lateness Theron refused to leave the set, and waited for him while in character as Imperator Furiosa.

Goellnicht explained: "She was really going to make a point. She didn't go to the bathroom, didn't do anything. She just sat in the War Rig."

It was claimed that when Hardy did arrive Theron called him "disrespectful," swore and said that the producers should fine him "a hundred thousand dollars for every minute that he's held up this crew."

Hardy was said to have responded by "charging up to" Theron and questioning what she'd said to him, with Goellnicht claiming he appeared "quite aggressive" which made his co-star feel "threatened."

"That was the turning point, because then she said, 'I want someone as protection,'" he explained.

Theron also spoke in the book about the incident, saying: "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 equalise some of it, because I didn't feel safe.

"I don't want to make excuses for bad behaviour, but it was a tough shoot. Now, I have a very clear perspective on what went down.

"I don't think I had that clarity when we were making the movie. I was in survival mode; I was really scared s**tless."

Theron was assigned producer Denise Di Novi, but Di Novi was barred from set which Theron felt made her feel "pretty naked and alone."

Hardy himself addressed the claims in Buchanan's book, telling the author that he was "in over my head in many ways."

He said: "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."

Newsweek has contacted Hardy's representatives for further comment.