Renowned for her versatile on-screen performances, Charlize Theron has established a formidable presence in the film industry. Beyond her performances, the actress has sparked significant discussions with her candid remarks about the industry’s treatment of women-oriented projects.
In a previous interview, the Mad Max star reflected on the constant hesitation to pursue female-led stories, despite the continuous milestones achieved by female movie stars and filmmakers, as she emphasized the harsh reality of Hollywood’s approach to female-driven narratives.
Charlize Theron Spoke Out on the Struggle for Female-Led Stories in Hollywood
Throughout her career, Charlize Theron has given a range of performances from her Oscar-winning role in Monster to leading action films like Atomic Blonde and Mad Max.
The actress has acknowledged that she is following in the footsteps of acclaimed actresses and female action stars such as Linda Hamilton and Sigourney Weaver, who established a benchmark with movies like Terminator and Alien, respectively.
“We’ve had moments like this, where women really showcase themselves and kind of break glass ceilings,” she told Variety in an interview. However, the Fast X actress also highlighted how the film industry has been unable to sustain the momentum, saying,
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.
Not only did she point out that the push for female-oriented films diminishes after such movies fail to make a significant impact at the box office, but she also noted that female filmmakers are often restricted by limited budgets, with Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman still holding the title for the most expensive film directed by a woman.
Charlize Theron Expressed Disappointment Over Industry Limitations on Female-Driven Projects
Further in the conversation, Charlize Theron also expressed disappointment over how the film industry’s subtle yet persistent limitations on female-driven projects.
“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,” said the Oscar-winning actress.
Directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman had a budget of $149 million and grossed $822 million worldwide, making it the most successful live-action film directed by a woman, until Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.
Even four years after the release of Wonder Woman, no female-directed film surpassed its budget, despite the massive success of Barbie, which became the highest-grossing film directed by a woman with an estimated budget of $145 million, as per Variety.
It’s not that female-led movies haven’t performed well at the box office. The successes of films like Captain Marvel, Alice in Wonderland, and even animated movies such as Frozen have demonstrated the market’s enthusiasm for such stories.
However, Theron’s remarks about the industry’s restrictions and biases still remain relevant, highlighting the ongoing reluctance in Hollywood to consistently support female-driven projects, especially in terms of resources, support, encouragement, and adequate budgets.
