Charlize Theron is Hardcore

Charlize Theron recently sat down for an interview with Variety where she talked about her new film Atomic Blonde, as well as some of her career highs and lows. Here are some highlights from her interview:

On having to undergo extensive dental surgery after clenching down so hard on her jaw that she cracked two teeth while getting in shape for Atomic Blonde:
“It happened the first month of training. I had severe tooth pain, which I never had in my entire life. Having to cut one of the teeth out and root canals. It was tough. You want to be in your best fighting shape, and it’s hard. I had the removal and I had to put a donor bone in there to heal until I came back, and then I had another surgery to put a metal screw in there.”

On Aeon Flux:
“I got offered a lot of stuff in action movies that was either the girl behind the computer or the wife. When ‘Aeon Flux’ came to me, I thought that could be something. I was never completely sold on the entire concept, but I really loved [director] Karyn Kusama’s movie [‘Girlfight’]. So I threw myself into that with the belief that she’s a great filmmaker. And then we fucked it all up. I just don’t think we really knew how to execute it. And it’s disappointing, but it happens. I’ve been in this business long enough to know that you cannot get it right every time. I might have gotten this right because of that.”

On training four hours a day to learn how to fight convincingly in Atomic Blonde:

“I’m coordinated because I was a dancer, and I definitely have movement memory, but I’ve never been a fighter. I’m also really tall and a girl. That tends to make you look like you’re Big Bird.”

On the female action stars that have come before her:
“I think we would be remiss not to acknowledge Sigourney Weaver and Linda Hamilton. We’ve had moments like this, where women really showcase themselves and kind of break glass ceilings. And then we don’t sustain it. Or there’s one movie that doesn’t do well, and all of a sudden, no one wants to make a female-driven film. And look, I am ashamed that I’m part of an industry that has never allowed a woman to work with a budget higher than what the budget has been on ‘Wonder Woman.’ That’s so fucking caveman-like. I am always hoping that this is the movie that’s going to change it and keep it for us.”

Read the full interview at Variety.