Charlize Theron has explained why she refuses to publicly identify the director who sexually harassed her during her first-ever audition. The Oscar-winning actress shared her reasoning in a recent interview, emphasizing that she wants the focus to remain on the issue rather than the individual.
Theron’s Harassment Experience During Early Career
In 2019, Theron first revealed on The Howard Stern Show that a director sexually harassed her during an audition early in her career. She described how the man answered the door in his pajamas and inappropriately touched her knee before she left.
“The little voice inside me definitely said, ‘This isn’t right,’” Theron recalled. “But then the other voice in me says, ‘Well, I don’t know. Maybe it is right.’”
At the time, she did not name the director, and she has continued to keep his identity private.
Why Theron Still Won’t Reveal the Director’s Name
During a recent appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Theron explained her decision not to publicly name the director. She said the man became nervous after she shared her story and even sent her a letter attempting to justify his actions.
“This guy, he got a little nervous for a while there,” Theron said. “I’ve never said his name because honestly, I don’t want the story to be about him. It’s not because I’m protecting him or anything, but he got nervous for a little bit.”
She added that the director tried to downplay the incident by claiming she must have misunderstood his behavior.
“He heard me tell the story, and he knew it was about him, and he wrote me a pretend letter trying to explain his behavior and how I must have misunderstood it, which is classic, isn’t it?”
Theron’s Strategy: Keeping the Director Guessing
Theron said she prefers not naming him because it keeps him in a state of uncertainty. She believes he knows what he did and fears potential consequences.
“He was waiting for me, and I just realized, like, I won’t even fucking say your name because you know you’re the scumbag. You know it’s you, and if anybody ever asked me about him, I would be completely honest. And he knows that.”
She also expressed satisfaction in keeping him anxious about when or if his name might come out.
“And I kind of like that he’s got to be on a hot seat. He doesn’t know when it’s going to come. I kind of like that a little more.”
Theron’s Advocacy and Recent Work
Beyond speaking about her own experiences, Theron has been vocal about women’s rights and gender equality. She founded the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Program (CTAOP), which supports youth in South Africa.
Also Read: Megyn Kelly Criticizes Charlize Theron Over Comments About Dating Younger Men and Bezos Wedding
Recently, she has been promoting The Old Guard 2, the sequel to her 2020 Netflix action film. Despite her busy schedule, she continues to use her platform to address social issues.
Credits: Call Her Daddy Podcast on YouTube
