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Interview with Charlize Theron: “Exploring the psyche of a serial killer was a privilege”
Hollywood superstar Charlize Theron has the lead role in the blockbuster The Old Guard 2, available on Netflix since July 2025. The actress embodies an immortal warrior, willing to sacrifice everything to protect her kind. Alongside her is rising star Kiki Layne, recently seen in Barry Jenkins’ film If Beale Street Could Talk. Interview.
Interview by Chloé Sarraméa.
Star actress Charlize Theron has lived a thousand lives in the film industry. Only four so far for Kiki Layne. The first one was not even 30, when she portrayed the American serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster (2003) by Patty Jenkins. That role earned her the Oscar for Best Actress, before she skyrocketed to the status of legend as the mutilated warrior Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) over a decade later.
The second one made a spectacular rise to fame with her role as a devoted lover fighting to clear her husband’s name in Barry Jenkins’ feature If Beale Street Could Talk (2018). Since then, she has starred in several feature films, includins The Old Guard (2020). The feature cast her in a combative, sisterly duo with Charlize Theron.
The two actresses reunite in the sequel The Old Guard 2 (2025), available on Netflix this month. The premise? “Andy leads immortal warriors against a powerful enemy threatening their group. They grapple with the resurfacing of a long-lost immortal, complicating their mission to safeguard humanity.” Another hit production for the platform and the perfect opportunity to revisit our conversation with this dynamic acting duo, who keeps coming back to life on screen through their roles.
Interview with Charlize Theron and Kiki Layne, protagonists in The Old Guard 2
Numéro: Charlize, in recent years, you’ve made a name for yourself in the film industry as a producer (Monster, Atomic Blonde, Tully, A Private War). It is also the case for The Old Guard, in which you play the lead character. As an actress, is producing a way to reinvent yourself?
Charlize Theron: I love taking on that role. Even when I’m not acting, producing a film is creatively very stimulating for me. In a way, being on the production side allows you to keep a sense of control. I couldn’t stand having to depend on someone else for my career to move forward. Producing is about creating opportunities, both for myself and others, especially for other women. And I feel lucky to be able to do that.
Kiki, how did it feel to have Charlize Theron as a sort of spiritual mother in the film?
Kiki Layne: [laughs] I wouldn’t say she was my mother, but more of a mentor for me!
Charlize Theron: [laughs] Thank you, Kiki!
“I couldn’t stand having to depend on someone else for my career to move forward. Producing is about creating opportunities for myself.” Charlize Theron
K.L.: It was perfect because the relationship between Andy and Nile in the film is very similar to the one Charlize and I had in real life. In the film, Andy (Charlize) is close to the end of her immortality, while Nile (me) is just discovering her powers. In a way, it mirrors who I am: The Old Guard was my fourth feature film, my first action movie, and definitely the biggest project I’ve ever been a part of. Working alongside Charlize, who has so much knowledge, experience, and confidence on set, and just watching her taught me a lot. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of this film and star alongside such a great actress, who has done so much to improve the women’s representation in the industry.
Can you tell us more about how the filming of the long fight scene between you two went?
K.L.: It was the first scene we shot together. I was terrified, I couldn’t stop overthinking it… In the end, I’m glad we started the film with that scene. I think shooting a fight scene is a great way to bond for two actors. It really sets the tone for what will connect their characters later on.
“I love my work as an actress because you spend your time unpacking human psychology.” Charlize Theron
Charlize, you gained 15 kg and even spent time with one friend of a death row inmate. It was in 2003, when you portrayed the infamous American serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Patty Jenkins’ debut film Monster. Nearly twenty years later, would you take on such a challenging role again today?
C.T.: I wouldn’t hesitate for a second. You know, Aileen’s psyche was one of the most complex I’ve ever had the privilege to explore. It was the first time I’d taken on a role like that, and there was something deeply moving about this woman – her life, actions, and character were harshly judged by American society. Few people know that Aileen Wuornos was the first female serial killer, and no one ever asked what drove her to commit such horrors. We live in a world where we’re constantly labelling people, putting them into boxes, and dismissing them, when we could gain so much more by trying to understand why or how someone ends up completely neglected by others and cut off from society. I love my work as an actress because it’s all about unpacking human psychology and trying to analyse what motivates people to do what they do. It’s something that still drives me today and will continue to fascinate me as an actress.
The Old Guard 2 (2025) by Victoria Mahoney, available now on Netflix.
