Charlize Theron can do a little bit of everything. She can appear in one of the best TV comedies of the 2000s (Arrested Development), and arguably the best action movie of the 2010s (Mad Max: Fury Road). She can have superpowers in Hancock, and play a queen in Snow White and the Huntsman. She can say she didn’t get along with co-star Tom Hardy on the set of Fury Road, and during the same publicity tour for The Huntsman: Winter’s War, bemoan that it’s hard for her to get roles because she’s so damn “gorgeous.” Same, Charlize. Same.
Theron, a gorgeous, f*cking, gown-wearing 8-foot model, told British GQ that “jobs with real gravitas go to people that are physically right for them and that’s the end of the story. How many roles are out there for the gorgeous, f*cking, gown-wearing 8-foot model? When meaty roles come through, I’ve been in the room and pretty people get turned away first.”
She’s correct in that there are certain roles a living, breathing goddess isn’t right for — except she can “un-pretty” herself, like Theron did in Monster, and win an Academy Award. “Pretty people” have it both ways. They can play conventionally attractive characters, which is most characters in all movies, and they can play girl- and boy-next door types, who the cool kids think is ugly until they take their glasses off. Meanwhile, you’re less likely to see someone who doesn’t look like Theron (or Michael Fassbender) in Prometheus.
Later on in the profile, Theron spoke out about unfortunate beauty standards for actresses in Hollywood. “We live in a society where women wilt and men age like fine wine,” she said. “And, for a long time, women accepted it. We were waiting for society to change, but now we’re taking leadership.” Women are taking leadership, and using men to steady their sniper rifles.
It’s about time.
(Via British GQ)
