How Charlize Theron “stalked” her way to an Oscar nod: “Two options – prison or being cast”
For all the stalkers out there who are also dreaming of making it big in Hollywood, look no further than Charlize Theron.
Of course, not all of you have the talent to actually make it work, but Theron did, and she took it straight to the Oscars. To be fair, at that point, the future Mad Max: Fury Road star had already established herself as one of the standout on-screen artists of her generation by making history with the coveted ‘Best Actress’ prize at the Academy Awards for her incredible work in Monster, becoming the first South African to nab such an accolade in the acting categories.
Looking at Theron’s filmography now, it’s incredibly stacked with critical darlings as well as massive commercial successes, having appeared in the reliably profitable Fast and Furious franchise. However, as she got her first proper breakthroughs in the 2000s, Theron needed impactful projects to get the ball rolling. After Monster, the next project that got everyone’s attention was Niki Caro’s 2005 drama North Country.
Based on a book by Michael Seitzman, North Country sets Theron in the middle of a fictionalised retelling of one of the landmark legal cases: Jenson vs Eveleth Taconite Co. Deciding to focus on the first class-action sexual harassment lawsuit in US history, Caro’s adaptation was bolstered by Theron’s powerful portrayal of the lead character.
When asked about how she got into the project by The Guardian, Theron admitted that she was already stalking Caro before the casting process had been finalised: “I was secretly stalking Niki. And I realised that there were only two choices – prison or being cast in this film. So I’m very glad it turned out to be the second. I’d gone to see Whale Rider, like everybody else, and really fell in love with Niki through that film.”
Elaborating on the encounter that convinced Caro of Theron’s ability to make the subject material of North Country, Theron doubled down on boasting about her stalking skills. She added, “And so I stalked her – I was trying to see what she was doing next. We had a mutual friend who was distributing the film and Monster at the time – Bob Berney – and he introduced us at a little cocktail party. Then Niki signed on to do this and I had a hot date with her…”
For all aspiring actors out there who just can’t seem to cobble a project together, this is a great way to get signed to your dream role… if you’ve already won an Oscar. Theron was clearly already in love with Caro’s work, and their “chance” encounter at a party was what solidified the deal. Having an Oscar-winning part on her resumé was just the cherry on top that made Caro choose her to lead the powerful narrative of North Country.
However, even for all the self-proclaimed “stalking” she did, it was their instant connection that enriched their creative partnership and made North Country a critical success, with an Oscar nomination for Theron also in the bag. The actor concluded, “For me, we had instant chemistry. We started finishing each other’s sentences and I was just ecstatic to start with her.”
