Charlize Theron Was Originally Contacted to Play Wonder Woman’s Mother

Back before Patty Jenkins was the Wonder Woman director she is today, she directed the film Monster. The movie told the story of Aileen Wuornos, the serial killer portrayed by Charlize Theron, which ended up winning the actress her Oscar for Best Actress. So when Theron was told that she was being considered for a role in Jenkins’ superhero movie, she was happy for the chance to work with her friend again and esteemed to be considered for the role of Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman. Only she wasn’t being considered for the title role. They wanted her for the role of Hippolyta, Diana’s mother. Here’s what she had to say about the realization:

This is a great example of how Hollywood slaps you in the face when you start aging. So somebody had said to me ‘There’s action on this thing Wonder Woman, we just want to make you aware of it.’ And I was like ‘I’m just not familiar with it, what does Wonder Woman do?’ And this person said ‘No, it’s for Wonder Woman’s mom.’ It’s fine, it’s the defining moment where I crossed over. And I wasn’t fully aware of it.

Well, that had to hurt a bit. But I’m sure if she ever did see the film, she saw that the mother of Wonder Woman is strong and beautiful and maybe closer to her age range than she originally thought. She took the news in stride, and had this to say about having to turn down the role due to the conflict in schedule, not conflict in the role or with Jenkins:

We’re friends. I think the world of her. We have a mutual respect for each other. She did come to me, and at the time I was either working on something or I don’t know. There was a reason I couldn’t do it.

It’s one of those things that just sneaks up on you. Like when you’re watching movies from your youth and you all of a sudden identify with the parents more than the kids. It happens! And it sounds like Theron is going about this whole aging thing very gracefully.

via: cinemablend