Things almost took a fiery turn on 'Fury Road' for 'Mad Max' star Nathan Jones

Nearly 7 feet tall and looking like an avalanche of muscle, Nathan Jones is an Australian man-mountain who doesn't seem afraid of much. But even the Mad Max: Fury Road star got a little unnerved when he almost caught on fire. As you do.

As you can see here, lots of stuff goes boom during the film. It's pretty much two hours of boom.



Jones wields, among many pieces of heavy weaponry, a flamethrower as Rictus Erectus, the massive son of villainous overlord Immortan Joe (played by fellow Aussie Hugh Keays-Byrne). It was all fun and games until the fuel line broke — thanks to the heat of filming in the Namibian desert. He lived to tell us about his experience:
"I had fuel being sprayed all over me and no one could see what was going on and I eventually got their attention.They cut me loose and got me out of the way just in time, no problems. It was a big rush. I kind of enjoyed it in a way. I guess there’s a sick side to me."
Jones loved the original Mad Max as a kid, so he was admittedly biased on the fact that Mel Gibson was his favorite Mad Max OF ALL TIME. After going toe to toe with Tom Hardy in the new one, however, the former WWE pro wrestler and powerlifter might have a new choice after some fight scenes:
"I don't mind mixing it up and taking a few hits here and there to make everything look nice and crisp. That’s why we’re getting paid the big dollars. And Tom was awesome to work with. He wasn’t like a normal actor — I usually have to treat most actors with kid gloves but he didn't mind me roughing him up and getting into it. A lot of actors are just scared to hit me. He wasn’t, he just hit right into me. I got excited and hit him a bit hard and he’s like, 'Oh (shoot), Nathan!' He had to put an ice pack on his jaw but he was great. He really surprised me."
See? They're buddies now!

But Hardy's on-screen vehicle, the War Rig, paid Jones back when the giant Aussie had a stunt scene on the doomsday vehicle's hood.
"The hydraulics and the brakes and the steering failed, it jackknifed a bit and I ended up landing on top of the blower and smashed my head. I had this massive bruise on the side of my head and my body and held on for dear life. That was a close call."
The bruises added to the aesthetic, right? Not so much.
"I don’t think they used that one."
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