Charlize Theron Says ‘Gorgeous’ Actresses Struggle To Land ‘Meaty Roles’

Charlize Theron strongly believes that actresses genetically blessed with good looks are at a disadvantage when it comes to landing plum jobs.

Charlize Theron On Pretty Actresses

Theron takes issue with top roles in Hollywood – those likely with awards potential – not tending to land in the hands of actresses that many would deem to be conventionally beautiful. As Theron puts it in a recent interview with GQ, “Jobs with real gravitas go to people that are physically right for them and that’s the end of the story.”

The Mad Max: Fury Road star added, “How many roles are out there for the gorgeous, f–king, gown-wearing eight-foot model? When meaty roles come through, I’ve been in the room and pretty people get turned away first.”

Incidentally, Theron bucked that trend when she was cast as Aileen Wuornos in Monster. The South African-born former model gained weight, wore facial prostheses and shaved off her eyebrows to play the infamous serial killer in 2003. The part, for which she intentionally de-prettied herself, earned her an Oscar.

Now 40, Theron finds herself facing another problem in Hollywood and elsewhere – a sexist double-standard when it comes to aging.

“We live in a society where women wilt and men age like fine wine. And, for a long time, women accepted it. We were waiting for society to change, but now we’re taking leadership. It would be a lie to say there is less worry for women as they get older than there is for men,” Theron said. “It feels like there’s this unrealistic standard of what a woman is supposed to look like when she’s over 40.”

Theron’s latest film, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, is currently in theaters.