As its title suggests, the highly anticipated “Mad Max: Fury Road” centers on one angry dude (played by Tom Hardy). But the sequel to the 1979 Mel Gibson vehicle boasts not only a presumed co-lead in Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa, but a feminism consultant in “The Vagina Monologues” playwright Eve Ensler.

Director George Miller reportedly hired Ensler to ensure that a group of female abductees in “Fury Road” would be portrayed not just as victims, but survivors. Co-star Rosie Huntington-Whiteley revealed Ensler’s contribution to the action film in an interview with Esquire, saying, “We were so lucky that George arranged for Eve Ensler, who wrote ‘The Vagina Monologues,’ to fly in and work with us girls for about a week. We did extensive research with her. Eve herself has had a very intense life. She’s spent time in the Congo working with rape victims and women who have had unthinkable things happen to them through the power of men’s hands. We were able to pick her brain for a week. She told us the most tragic stories I’ve ever heard in my life, which gave us so much background to our characters. We really wanted to kind of showcase that. It was a privilege to have her around to make these characters something more then just five beautiful girls.”

Political consultants are nothing new, of course. And the film industry could certainly benefit from more feminist consultants, so that their four-quadrant products don’t end up disappointing female fans.

In addition to Theron and Huntington-Whiteley, “Fury Road” (out May 15) will also star Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, Abbey Lee, and Courtney Eaton.

[via Vanity Fair]