Long Shot star Charlize Theron on sexual chemistry, Hollywood clout and finding her goofy side

Charlize Theron has acted opposite some of the hottest men in Hollywood, but she says you don’t always have to be sexually attracted to your co-stars to have chemistry.

The story is, for once, truly in the title.

Long Shot is a raucous comedy about the unlikely romantic pairing of glamorous sophisticated Charlize Theron, and comedian Seth Rogen.

She’s an accomplished politician, he’s an uncouth investigative journalist with a propensity for getting himself into hot water.

Optics aside though, Theron and Rogen share a palpable onscreen chemistry.

Considering her past leading men have included Keanu Reeves, Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender and Chris Hemsworth, was she surprised to be paired with Rogen as her screen sexual partner?

“Wow — that’s a loaded question,” Theron says with a laugh.

“It’s not like I read a script and say, ‘Could I have sex with …’. And I have to say, there’s a huge misconception that you have to be sexually attracted to your co-star in order to have chemistry.”

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Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen make an unlikely couple in Long Shot.

Director Jonathan Levine, who worked with Rogen on 50/50 (2011), explores the idea of a successful, ambitious careerwoman whose partner isn’t emasculated by her power.

“It’s a modern story,” he says.

“She’s a modern woman, which doesn’t mean she has to be a hard woman who says, ‘F--- men’. She’s a woman who wants to be respected and appreciated for being feminine but doesn’t want to be made to feel that she’s incapable.

“The utmost romantic notion of a movie like this is the idea that you can be all of that, still have a man fall in love you, and be okay with what you’ve achieved.”

That theme seems to run a little close to home for Theron. She nods in agreement.

“I have encountered a feeling in my life where I realised my relationship would do so much better if I just make myself a little smaller,” she says.

“But when you do that and you’re not living your full potential, you start resenting the other person. I’d rather be single than resent someone for not letting me be who I am.” She pauses. “You can probably guess who that is.”

Though she doesn’t confirm the name in question, all signs point to Sean Penn, whom she dated from December 2013, got engaged to a year later, and then separated from six short months after that, in June 2015.

Given the timeline of that relationship, it’s interesting that she declared recently she’s been single for the past 10 years. She groans at the mention of this.

“I opened a giant can of worms [when I said that] and I know I only have myself to blame.”

Theron’s fierce, take-no-prisoners image, derived from her roles in movies such as her Oscar-winning performance in the gritty drama Monster (2003), to high-octane action fare such as The Huntsmen: Winter’s War (2016), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), and more recently, Atomic Blonde (2017).

Jonathan Levine, Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen at a special screening of Long Shot in London this week. Picture: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

But she’s happily changed gears of late, revealing her lighter side in movies such as last year’s Tully, before taking on Long Shot.

And to Rogen’s credit, he doesn’t save all the laughs for himself and lets Theron shine with multiple moments of hilarity.

“I’m actually pretty goofy and I also love physical humour,” she says.

Single or not, Theron has been open about revelling in her role as a mother.

She adopted two African-American children, now three and seven, and recently announced that her eldest, Jackson, now identifies as a girl, though he was born male.

How will she protect her children in a world of prejudice?

“My oldest is already a little aware. But I watch that she enjoys this moment in her life where she gets to find herself and who she wants to be.

“For both my kids, that’s not for me to decide. They are born who they are and my job as a parent is to celebrate that and to love that and to support that, and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be who they want to be. And I will do anything in my power for my kids to have that right and to be protected within that.”

When Theron isn’t in front of the camera, she’s likely enjoying her side job as producer, on both Long Shot and her upcoming movie, Fair and Balanced, about sexual harassment claims made against ex-Fox News CEO Roger Ailes by former Fox anchors Megyn Kelly (Theron) and Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman). Another character played by Margot Robbie is a hybrid of various female personnel at the station.

“It’s a huge female cast,” Theron grins of the exclusive ‘girls club,’ she’s created.

Charlize Theron says she sees a lot of herself in her Fair and Balanced co-star, Aussie Margot Robbie. Picture: AFP

“Nicole and I knew each other socially but not very intimately so this project was a great opportunity to work with some of the actors that I have really wanted to work with.

“I’ve always wanted to do something with Nicole, I think she is incredible. And Margot really impressed me. I shouldn’t say this because I don’t want to project anything but I feel that she reminds me a little bit of myself in that she has a vast interest in wanting to explore different things. And also, we have Connie Britton and Alison Janney, so an incredible array of females.”

Theron bristles at the notion she might be thought of as a producer in name only as many A-list actors have been in the past.

“Those days of vanity deals for actors are completely gone,” she insists.

“It’s looked upon really badly and you’re an a--hole if you’re wanting to throw your name on as a producer.

“In order to have a successful business, like any other business, you have to be at the wheel. You can’t just sit by your big pool and hope that your business is going to succeed, you have to be actively involved in it.”

Theron founded her own company, Denver and Delilah (named for her two dogs) in the early 2000s, and has since produced hits including Monster, Young Adult and Atomic Blonde.

“We have several employees now, a TV department, and we’re actively finding and developing material every day.” She smiles.

“I always felt like I was an actor who cared more than just hitting my mark and saying my lines. If producing is something you love doing and you love the people you work with every single day, then it’s not a job.

“For me, I’m happy when I tell stories. Ultimately, that’s what’s what I love doing.”

Long Shot opens Thursday.