Charlize Theron has "empathy" for Megyn Kelly after playing her in 'Fair and Balanced'.
Charlize Theron
The Academy Award-winning actress plays the American TV presenter in an upcoming drama about the fall of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, who under advice from a supervisor didn't speak out against the alleged sexual harassment and assault she faced at the hands of the disgraced CEO.
The 'Atomic Blonde' star explained that she wasn't aware of "how complicated" the entire story was and says many people didn't understand the "complicated place" Megyn, 48, was in.
Speaking to Variety, Charlize, 43, said: "I didn't know how complicated her situation was and I think for a lot of people, they didn't understand why she didn't just speak up.
"She was in a complicated place and as a human being, I have empathy for that. I don't think a lot of people truly understood that."
Charlize went on to explain that she didn't attempt to meet Megyn before making the film - which focuses on the story of a woman at Fox News who decided to fight back against harassment and intimidation, which led to Ailes being fired by the TV network - as she wanted to keep her "perspective" and a meeting could "get emotional".
She said: "I think it's important for us to tell the story from afar and I think it's hard for me as an actor to have perspective. I don't know. It could get emotional, but other people on our crew" [did meet her].
The 'Monster' actress previously stated that the movie, helmed by Jay Roach, is an "important story" and insisted the project is "in the right hands".
She explained: "I think it's an important story. It was written really well, and I think it was the writing, and the filmmaker, that made me realise it was in the right hands."
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