Charlize Theron: Michael Fassbender was my saving grace on Prometheus
How did you bring the evil Queen to life in this new version of Snow White?
I have no interest in playing one-dimensional film characters so I never went into it going: Ooh I get to play evil. But theres something nice about the freedom of excusing behaviour you would never do yourself. The way I yelled at people in this movie I would never do that in real life.
Did you have an inspiration for the role?
I was flicking through the TV channels one day watching The Shining and Jack Nicholsons performance really inspired me in terms of being stuck in a castle. Jack is stuck in that house and slowly unravels, getting madder and madder, and that definitely connected with me.
What intrigued you about the theme which is all to do with beauty?
We live in a society where women are treated like cut flowers that wilt, whereas men are like fine wines as they age, they get better. It has been instilled in my character at a very young age that if you do not have beauty, you will not be powerful.
Well, youre lucky that you are beautiful.
People buy magazines and believe thats what people on the covers actually look like. And its not what people look like, its not what I look like. People who know me will tell you the same thing: I get fat, I need to work out, I have pimples and Im getting older everything is happening for me, exactly as it is for everybody else. When I go to an awards ceremony, I have a make-up artist, a hairdresser, a manicurist, a person who is designing a dress for me from Paris and a stylist who is getting me jewellery from Switzerland. Its so other-worldly and I cant take credit for any of that.
How would you change the way girls value themsel! ves in terms of the way they look?
It would start with how you raise your daughters. I had that with my mother, the way she raised me. I think mothers and fathers need to have a delicate hand in raising daughters. I hope that Ive had enough of that instilled in me to go through my life and age gracefully.
Do you enjoy coming to Britain?
I like England a lot because its very similar to where I was raised in South Africa. The British colonised us and were kind of like you guys, so we eat very similarly. A lot of the customs are exactly the same, such as Sunday roast. England is not home but I totally see the similarities.
Your other recent film, Ridley Scotts Prometheus, is also out on DVD. Whats your character like?
Shes red tape, making it hard for everybody. Shes not a scientist. She is in charge of sending Prometheus into space, your quintessential bureaucrat. At first she comes across as very cold and frigid. Then its slowly revealed that she might be there for alternative reasons.
What was it like working with Michael Fassbender?
He is one of the funniest guys Ive ever been around. Hes so goddamn effortless that I want to punch him in the face. We instantly hit it off and in many ways he was my saving grace on the film because you have to sit around a lot. We had our dressing rooms next to each other. Wed pass each others rooms and be like kids in a dormitory saying: What are you doing? We would just chat or listen to music.
How actively involved are you with your Aids prevention charity in Africa?
It is a big priority in my life. The number of people with HIV and Aids in South Africa is higher than anywhere else in the world. Culturally, its not accepted to talk about things such as safe sex. Its very taboo and thats causing a lot of people to die. Our programme, the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, educates childre! n and you! ng people how not to become HIV positive and to have an understanding of the virus.
How rewarding is the work?
Each and every single individual that Ive met since we started the programme in 2007 has been incredibly moving and inspiring. I found that in the sex education classes, all of a sudden there was dialogue. Children had their hands up and they had some of the bravest questions. Homosexuality is a huge taboo in Africa. To hear a 16-year-old boy talk about being gay was something Id never ever witnessed in my entire life in South Africa. That was an incredibly proud moment for me.
What are your views on marriage?
Marriage is not for me. Until its equal for everybody, I dont want to be a part of it. I grew up during apartheid and this feels similar. Why can heterosexual couples have the legal status of marriage and same-sex couples cannot? That is like having a white water fountain and a black water fountain. We should live in a world with equal rights for everyone, without the government telling us who we can love.
Snow White And the Hunstman is out on DVD this week
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