Anya Taylor-Joy Rejected Crying Scenes in ‘The Witch,’ The Menu’

Anya Taylor-Joy said an interview with British GQ that she has often fought for her characters to express rage on screen. It turns out there have been several films where in the script her character is supposed to cry, but Taylor-Joy just didn’t think that was the right emotional beat. She decided to speak up for herself and successfully convinced her directors to let her character have more rage.

“I’ve developed a bit of a reputation for fighting for feminine rage, which is a strange thing, because I’m not promoting violence – but I am promoting women being seen as people,” Taylor-Joy told the publication. “We have reactions that are not always dainty or un-messy.”

Taylor-Joy first fought for her character’s rage on her feature acting debut, Robert Eggers’ “The Witch.” It was written that her character, Thomasin, would cry during a scene in which she is dragged through her family’s farmyard after she’s accused of being an evil presence inside her home. Taylor-Joy couldn’t muster up the tears during each take.

“Eventually I said, ‘She’s angry; she’s fucking pissed. She’s been blamed time and time again, and she’s not doing anything. We have to stop with the crying,’” Taylor-Joy remembered telling Eggers.

The director approved. Taylor-Joy not only was able to rage during the scene, but also learned that speaking up for yourself on set can be the right thing to do. She’d do it again during the…