Charlize Theron is getting candid about stepping back from doing her own stunts after years of intense physical work left her with lasting injuries.
In a joint interview with Uma Thurman for the New York Times, the Mad Max: Fury Road star reflected on the toll her action-packed roles have taken on her body over the years.
“I run into people and they’re like, ‘Oh, what happened to your arm?’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, I just had surgery.’ And they’re like, ‘The last time I saw you, you had surgery!’” Theron shared.
She recalled one of her earliest and most serious injuries during the filming of Aeon Flux.
“I had an unfortunate injury on the first action attempt I ever did, for a bad movie called Aeon Flux.
On day nine, I did a back handspring, and I didn’t get enough height, and I landed on my neck on a concrete bridge. I had the last surgery on my neck 18 years ago.”
She went on to reveal just how much damage she’s endured from doing stunts throughout her career.
“I’ve had surgery on both elbows, my right shoulder, my thumb, carpal tunnel, fractures. A lot of fractures,” she said.
Now, Theron is no longer eager to push those physical limits.
“It’s about time we actually recognize those performers,” she said, pointing to the Oscars’ upcoming Achievement in Stunt Design category in 2027.
“Because they are truly part of character building. Without them, there’s a lot of stuff that would never be in a movie that I’m in. I’m never going to know how to fall down a flight of stairs, or jump on a moving vehicle. My adult woman brain is like, ‘No thank you. I’m OK not doing that.’”
Uma Thurman, who returns to action films with The Old Guard 2 after more than two decades, echoed Theron’s sentiments.
She added that she’s “really practical” now when choosing roles and tends to steer clear of projects involving demanding physical work, especially those with underwater scenes.
