Furiosa star asks fans to know the difference between “fiction and reality” after harassment

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga star, Nathan Jones, has had to ask fans for support and understanding after he received messages about his “uncomfortable” role in the movie.

Although Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga didn’t quite break big at the box office, it still stands as one of the most exciting action movies of 2024. Its high-stakes road wars and energetic characters makes it a formidable prequel, and the new movie sees the introduction of many new characters, as well as familiar faces.

One such returning figure is Rictus Erectus, who Nathan Jones played in both Mad Max: Fury Road and the new movie. But the wrestler-turned-actor has had to take a moment out of celebrating the film’s release to ask fans to stop sending him concerning messages.

Jones posted on his Facebook page on June 4, sharing that he’d received messages about his character’s actions in Furiosa. He wrote: “Hi everyone, I’ve noticed a few queries and private messages about my role in Mad Max: Furiosa, particularly regarding a scene with young Furiosa. This is a very sensitive subject, and I want to emphasize that it involves a fictional character.

“The details can be uncomfortable, and as an actor, my job is to portray a character based on the direction and script provided to me. I appreciate your understanding and support in recognizing the distinction between fiction and reality. Thank you. Best, Nathan.”

This is most likely in reference to a scene he shares with a young Furiosa, in which Rictus takes her to his room and starts caressing her hair. She quickly makes an escape, but it’s an unnerving scene.

He’s since received a wave of support online, with many fans lamenting the lack of understanding coming from the messages.

As one Reddit user wrote: “Honestly can’t fathom how a functioning adult human brain can watch an actor portray a fictional character in a movie or show and then come to the conclusion that the actor is in the wrong for portraying that character. Not only that but to then also go as far as to harass them online. Wild.”

“Really sad to learn some people cannot differentiate between fiction and reality. How do these people navigate life?” asked another.

“I hate that he had to post that, because it means he received so many messages from total f**king morons who can’t tell reality from fiction that it couldn’t just be ignored,” one person noted. “That number has to be pretty damn high, because no doubt he was told to ignore it in the beginning, too.”

A fourth wrote: “People are so incredibly stupid and the ones who think fiction is reality are the most dangerous.”

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is in theaters now. For more, take a look at all the best movies of 2024 so far, and find out what new movies are on streaming this month.