Charlize Theron recently expressed strong criticism regarding the entertainment industry’s hesitancy to produce female-led movies. The star of The Old Guard 2 discussed this issue in an interview with The New York Times.
Theron not only called out executives for their treatment of films primarily featuring women but also described securing such projects as an uphill battle. According to the outlet, this is because films with predominantly female casts are viewed as a “risk” by filmmakers.
The actress confirmed that achieving a role in these films is “harder” and “that’s known.” She noted that action films starring women are not greenlit as frequently as those with male leads. Theron candidly shared her frustration, highlighting the industry’s double standard: “guys will get a free ride,” whereas women whose movies “maybe doesn’t hit fully” often “don’t necessarily get a chance again.”
Regarding The Old Guard 2, Theron said, “with this, we were very aware that eyes were on us.” She pointed out that while studios are reluctant to take a risk on such a film, they are willing to take chances “many times on the same guy who might have a string of action movies that did not do so well.” The Old Guard 2 focuses on a group of immortal warrior women facing a powerful enemy that threatens them and plunges humanity into chaos.
