Charlize Theron Is Breitling’s Newest Campaign Star

It’s 9 a.m. in Los Angeles. It’s time for my Zoom meeting with Charlize Theron. Her voice is clear, warm, and cheerful. She may even smile. But I wouldn’t know as the screen is black! Woof… a dog! She apologizes and opens the door. He wants to go.

To her many fans, Charlize Theron is the epitome of beauty and femininity, transformed into an ethereal goddess for Dior’s J’adore fragrance. In Breitling’s new Chronomat campaign, she is a woman of commitment. Her reality. Together with Misty Copeland (African-American prima ballerina) and Yao Chen (Chinese actress), they form a trio that is known for breaking all the rules and challenging stereotypes with style and conviction.

Charlize Theron is a respected messenger for peace at the United Nations since 2009 and a tireless campaigner for social issues. Charlize Theron Outreach Project for Africa is her own foundation which supports African youth fighting HIV/AIDS. Her charity, Charlize Theron Outreach Project for Africa, launched Together for Her, a global campaign for domestic violence prevention. It has seen an increase in participation during the pandemic. Theron also advocates for the LGBTQIA+ communities. She stated in the past that she would not marry until same-sex marriage was legalized.

Theron thrives on action when it comes to film: an uppercut here Atomic Blonde (A sequel has been announced), another one in Mad Max. Fury RoadIn oder out F9. In The Old GuardShe is a style icon and an incredible physical specimen. She also shows her versatility by choosing challenging roles that sometimes require a complete transformation. In 2004, she won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Silver Bear for Best Actress in Patty Jenkins’s MonsterThis is the story of serial killer Aileen Woornos. After gaining an additional 30 pounds, the actress looked completely different. In 2018, she did it again in Jason Reitman’s Tully, putting on another 50 pounds to play the role of a young mother: “I had to live with that weight for almost two years. At 40, it’s harder to lose weight than at 20!” she told ELLE France2018 In 2018, she starred in the drama and co-produced it. BombshellShe was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in,

Soon, the actress will portray Lady Lesso, dean of Evil, in the fairytale School for Good and EvilBased on the eponymous novels of Soman Chainani, and directed by Paul Feig (to be released in February 2022).

Now, at 46, Theron’s greatest role in life is off-screen. She is a mother and raises Jackson, 9 year old, and August, 6, 6 years old. She has a beautiful open mind.

Dammit! It’s 9:25. The agent tells us discreetly via Zoom chat that the time is almost up… Time is not on mine, but very much on hers!

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You are an actress, a producer, a UN ambassador, an activist through your own charity and a mother of two… you confessed to having some difficulties balancing your private and professional life. Do you think you have found the perfect balance?

I don’t think perfection is ever going to be reached! I’ve made peace with that. [Laughs.]I wish. It can be difficult to balance a single parent’s life, regardless of your job, especially if you travel. But that’s always evolving as my kids are getting a little older. They’re not just little kids that don’t even have an awareness of where they’re going. They’re at an age now where they have interests and things to do after school!

How was your experience during the pandemic and lockdowns?

I was in Los Angeles and, looking back, it was a great isolation process. My children and my mother were the ones I loved the most. It was a time I could not normally spend with my family, so it was a time I enjoyed.

Do you consider the role of teacher to be your most difficult yet?

I wasn’t a fan of home-schooling, but I was aware that it was something I wasn’t good at! It would be fascinating to ask my children about that time period. I remember how the AIDS epidemic affected me in South Africa when I was not even my oldest daughter’s age. We are grateful. [adults]It seems more isolated. Hopefully, we don’t have more of this. But if we’re not careful we might!

Do you feel nervous about returning to the set after two years?

For the past two years, I’ve just been working in pre-production with our company, and that has been exciting. I’m now enthusiastic to go back to work but I’m also hyper vigilant on how I go about that. This is a very real and serious virus that is not over. I believe that a little bit of fear can be smart.

The pandemic has turned the film release schedule upside down. What are your upcoming movies

I have The Addams Family 2. This movie will be available on October 1st, as Morticia Adams’ voice, and in post-production. The School of Good and Evil Netflix and a few other things that are secret as of right now. I’m not really talking about them, but it will be really exciting when they come out. That’s all I’m going to say! [Laughs.]

In 26 years, you’ve acted in 55 films and 6 television series. And you’ve received 18 nominations and have won 3 awards. What are your proudest achievements?

I would say… my longevity. For every actor that’s probably the most important thing. I knew from the beginning that I loved my job and wanted to continue it for as long possible. Your biggest fear as an actor is that people will forget you because of the constant new talent. It was a dream of mine when I was younger to be able to support myself solely by acting, without having to work a second job. It’s a tricky thing to achieve in this business. I feel proud of the things that I said “no” to. And I feel proud of the things that I said “yes” to, it was all in order to build a long career.

What is your relationship with the time?

Time is precious. It’s the one thing you can’t buy more of. We’re all going to get what we’re going to get and it’s therefore the most precious thing that we have. We don’t know when it will end, nor what we can leave behind as a legacy. It is, in my opinion, the most precious thing on this planet. So, I cherish it. I don’t take it for granted. When I was younger, I was in a rush because I didn’t know how much time I had. As I get older, I realize the importance of slowing down, and acknowledging the time I have with my family, with the people I love, and the time I have to do the things that really matter to my heart.

You are now a member the new Breitling Squad with Misty Copeland, Yao Chen and the Chronomat watch. Do you consider it important to be part of a community?

Yes. It’s part of the human condition to want to feel like you have a community. You can also belong in many communities. Maybe the importance of that is there’s a benefit for us humans in having multiple interests. This is what community does: it encourages acceptance and supports each other. In that sense, I believe it is important. It may be very lonely for those who do not feel part of a community.

How did this partnership with Breitling get started?

I was approached when we did our first campaign. Brad Pitt and Adam Driver had already signed up. And I’m just a massive fan of both of them. The campaign’s concept was very appealing to me. It felt real and sincere because of the connection between Adam, Brad, and me. This company has been making watches ever since 1884. They have created something that is very in tune with the times.

What do you love most about the Chronomat Breitling watch?

We don’t live in a time where we have to wear watches so, Breitling is incredibly smart. There is an understanding that consumers don’t have to wear this watch, so instead they ask: “Why don’t we design something that they would want to put on their arm?” That’s how I feel about the watch. There’s a modern quality to the design, not to mention the great technical aspects of the watch. It’s classic, it’s modern. It doesn’t dictate how your day should go or what you should wear.

You are an activist who fights for many causes, including inclusion, diversity, and the LGBTQIA+ community. Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project was your own foundation. What was it that motivated you to start it?

South Africa was where I was raised. My teenage years were impacted by the AIDS epidemic, which brought my country down to its knees. In many ways, it is still bringing my nation to its knees. There was so much to know, I saw a lot people die from AIDS. The emergency of the AIDS epidemic was so tremendous in the late ’80s and ’90s that by the time we came to the 2000s we had a huge support in ARVs for people who were already positive. But I realized that there was a gap in prevention. South Africa was the country that lost a whole generation of its parents. There was a young generation that was lucky enough to have one parent or a grandparent. These traditions impeded modern medicine and understanding of how this virus spread. There really weren’t many organizations focusing on that prevention care so that’s why I wanted to start a foundation.

What are its current projects?

CTAOP’s focus over the last 15 years has changed. Although its original purpose was to provide prevention care, it quickly became apparent that AIDS can’t be stopped. It is important to view it holistically. It is important to recognize that there are many other factors that can influence a community’s risk of becoming HIV-positive. We look at education and community involvement, specifically at higher education, in order to find those students who don’t have it. We are really looking for the leaders of the future, which is important both for Africa and globally. We are definitely an organization that places emphasis on young people’s futures.

Did you foresee the global pandemic?

It opened another door. When we checked in with all the organizations that we support, we found that gender-based abuse was the most common issue. The most vulnerable and those who are most often overlooked are young girls and women. We really believe that there’s a lot of hope for women if we can give them access and a seat at the table. Staying home was a lifesaver for some people, but it was a death sentence in the case of many others who were living with their abusers. I truly believe this is something that I speak about all the time. COVID was not only a difficult thing, but it also brought together communities. We were all in it together. It was easier to reach out to people and it meant that people wanted to support organizations such as CTAOP.

How do you relax after a long, busy day?

Sometimes my day drags on until I just want to get in bed and sleep. Having children, there’s not a lot of alone time to sit and ponder your thoughts. I often fall asleep next to one my daughters. It’s that kind of exhaustion. I love to have dinner with friends and enjoy a glass or two of wine. It is so relaxing. It gives me great joy!