Charlize Theron went to dark places to win an Oscar for portraying real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in 2003’sMonster —but for the 44-year-old actress, playing controversial news personality Megyn Kelly inBombshellwas more of a struggle.
“This was harder,” Theron said while comparing the two experiences during a conversation following a screening ofBombshellon Sunday in New York City.
“She’s incredibly well known,” she continued. “I’ve never played anybody on that level. I’ve played real people that nobody knows about so there was less pressure when I did those.”
Theron, who also produced the Jay Roach-directed film, said she considered not playing Kelly when she was first approached with the material.
“Maybe there’s somebody out there who can do this better than you can,” she recalled thinking. “But I was just really scared too. I honestly knew her so superficially.”
Charlize Theron inBombshell.Lionsgate
In March, Theron saidshe had “empathy” for Kellyafter playing her.
“I didn’t know how complicated her situation was,” TherontoldVarietyat the SXSW premiere of her movieLong Shot. “I think for a lot of people, they didn’t understand why she just didn’t speak up. She was in a complicated place, and as a human being, I have empathy for that. And I don’t think a lot of people truly understood that.”
Bombshellhits theaters December 20.
source: people.com
