Video: Charlize Theron on Shocking SWATH and Wanting More Time With Kristen Stewart

We sat down with Snow White and the Huntsman's Evil Queen, Charlize Theron, at a recent press day in England. The star opened up about her dark role and shared that she was "shocked" when she finally saw the film on the big screen. Charlize also chatted about working with co-star Kristen Stewart and touched on what it's like to age in Hollywood. Watch our interview with Charlize now and be sure to check out our chat with Kristen as well before the movie opens on June 21.

Transcript

looked at her and I was just like, "We have to do this again." So I think women in our society have a harder time aging than men do. first off, congratulations on the movie. I thought it was spectacular. Thank you. Was there anything about the final cut that surprised you? Well, the visual effects just think is, yeah. When you're making the film, you don't really have...there's no...well, you have images and stuff like that and Rupert really spent a lot of time talking to us to explain it but then that's like the finished product. So when I saw the film for the first time and it was still not done, I was shocked. I was like, "That's not done? Really? That's amazing." So the visual effect I thought was really great. Your own face, it's crazy! Were you shocked to see yourself in those different forms as well. Yes I mean a lot of that is prosthetic s so I had a lot of that. So I knew the foundation of it, and it really was just kind of smoothing out the edges in the process of aging. But the aging stuff was there so I knew that, but I thought it was very seamlessly done when she ages and when you come see her come in and out of it which I thought was really cool. Yeah, and it's sort of interesting to think about, you know, how it seems like women having an expiration date on their beauty, and it's like that's a big thing in Hollywood as well. Were you thinking about that at all when yo! u were m aking it? Well, I think just...I don't know if I think in just terms of Hollywood. I try and think just about the rest of the world too. I think women in our society have a harder time aging than men do. Hollywood is a little bit more under a spotlight but I think women of all occupations could maybe relate to this I think it's maybe something that women speak of at the water cooler. There's a great saying that, you know, men age like fine wine, they just get better with age, and women are like cut flowers, they wilt. And I think that's relevant to this story. Yeah. I think we have to kind of find our value and our place in society and not have it beon what we look like. And then it's interesting because in this movie you and Kristen really only share one scene. Was it crazy to sort of be working on these sort of two different movies and then have this final moment together? Very and also somewhat disappointing because we both kind of looked at each other and said, you know I was really excited to do this movie because I want to work with you and we were like, this is it, we just fight at the end. So we were a little bit disappointed about that. But yeah, I mean, I looked at her and I was just like, we have to do this again. She's so great. I was like, I want some more of this. We need to do this again. And you were terrifying in this movie as well. How did you sort of conjure up that like rage? You know, I think you have to not think of it as compartmentalized emotion and I try to really come with a foundation of empathy. If I understand where this person is coming from I'm hoping that those emotions will just naturally happen. So yeah, it's not like I stand in my trailer and scream in the mirror and rehearse that way. it really just you're just always kind of chasing the truth.Snow White is a classic story and now that you are a parent are there stories that you are excited to share with your Tons? Yeah, tons of stories. Yeah, a lot of stories. I was raised on a lot of folk lore and mythology and stuff! like th at. yeah, I would love...I mean, right now I'm telling him stories about literally making tea 'cause he doesn't know the difference. He just likes the sound of your voice. Yes, as long as my face is making expressions, he's digging The costumes are incredible. How involved in that process were you? Colleen Atwood is a genius, so I try to just stay out of the way, when it comes to her. But she's actually very driven, my character. So she really loved spending time with me and Chris and talking about what we were discovering in our process with these characters and how she kind of interpreted, and it was just a very collaborative situation and really she's amazing. She's amazing. I imagine it's hard to choose, but did you have a favorite one of the dresses? Well, just practically I loved my nightgown because it didn't have a corset. Like everything else was wildly uncomfortable. Yeah, I was very excited when I got to wear that, but I think visually for me the wedding gown It's just stunning. Yeah, but what's it made out of on the shoulders? It looks like little infant bones. It's very disturbing. but it's actually like a light-weight, I think a I do not know even exactly what that is. Did you get to off the nail ring? No, I did not. No, No. That is pretty cool. Thank you