Charlize Theron Responds to Megyn Kelly’s Praise of ‘Bombshell’ Performance

Charlize Theron is responding to Megyn Kelly‘s praise of the actress for her role in the upcoming Fox News drama Bombshell. When Kelly was recently asked about Theron portraying her in the film, she said she was in favor of the casting choice, according to the Daily Mail.

“She seems smart, seems like a good mom, so I could do worse,” Kelly said at the time.

After Kelly’s words got back to Theron on Sunday at the Los Angeles premiere of her new animated family comedy, The Addams Family, the actress told Entertainment Tonight, “That’s incredibly kind,” and admitted she hadn’t yet heard Kelly’s compliment.

“We try to, as actors and creative storytellers, we try to do all of this with integrity, so that was always where it came from,” Theron added. “So for her to feel good about that, I’m sure it can’t be easy for her, so I’m incredibly understanding.”

Kelly did tell reporters that she’s unsure if she’ll actually watch Bombshell when it hits theaters in December. “I’m going to let someone who loves me watch it first and tell me if I should see it or not,” she said.

Bombshell portrays the real-life events of the fall of Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes after former Fox News personality Megyn Kelly and more than 20 other women accused him of sexual harassment. The scandal took place in a pre-#MeToo era that caused a commotion behind the scenes at the news conglomerate.

In a teaser trailer released last month, Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie — who play Kelly, Gretchen Carlson and fictional character Kayla Pospisil, respectively — all enter an elevator at different times, each standing in silence, the lack of communication extremely telling.

Kidman revealed in an interview with E! News at New York Fashion Week that she initially was unsure if she should take the role, but after asking her Big Little Lies co-star Meryl Streep for advice, she ultimately made her decision.

“I asked her on the set of Big Little Lies and she was like, ‘No, you have to do it,’” Kidman revealed.

In addition to Kidman, Theron and Robbie, John Lithgow stars in the film as Ailes. Bombshell also stars Connie Britton, Kate McKinnon, Mark Duplass, Rob Delaney, Malcolm McDowell, Allison Janney, Alice Eve, Ashley Greene, Liv Hewson, Stephen Root, Madeline Zima, P.J. Byrne, Andy Buckley and Bree Condon.

Bombshell hits theaters on Dec. 20.

Photo credit: Donato Sardella / Contributor / Getty