Charlize Theron Talks Scaling New Heights in New Thriller, 'Apex'

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]Oh, we love a good thriller that keeps you glued to the edge of your seat. And this week's new release, Apex. Well, it does just that. It follows a woman fighting for her life in the Australian wilderness. And when that woman is played by Oscar winner Chariss Theren, well, you know, we are in for a heck of a ride.

[00:00:38]Nice.

[00:00:40]>> Oh, Charliss, welcome back.

[00:00:42]>> Thank you. Thanks for having me.

[00:00:43]>> I mean, listen, this this is not a film.

[00:00:45]I was just telling you, I watched it.

[00:00:46]It's not for the faint of heart. Yeah.

[00:00:47]>> And if you have a fear of heights, you you it's probably going to make you uncomfortable a few times. Is it true that going in you had a bit of an aversion to heights yourself?

[00:00:56]>> Just a little. Just a tiny bit. Um, I have to take it slow with heights. Like I have to introduce myself to it and make friends with it. Okay.

[00:01:04]>> And then we're buddies and then we go party.

[00:01:07]>> And did you And you did a lot of partying in this film. And you learned how to rock climb for the role.

[00:01:12]>> Yes, I did. I was so lucky. I got to learn um with this incredible rock star of a rock climber, Beth Roden, who spent a month with me and did her best to try and teach me how to pass as a rock climber. It's It's always struck me as one of those one of those sports where there's there's very little room for error.

[00:01:31]>> Yes.

[00:01:31]>> Like if something goes sideways when you're rock climbing, that's that's a completely different story, >> especially without a rope. Right.

[00:01:37]>> Right.

[00:01:38]>> Yeah. Yeah. It's I have such an admiration and respect for climbers now because the dedication and the the the willpower and the brain power and the problem solving and the physical aspect of it. It's really it's a incredible sport. You've you've done things similar to this before in terms of stunts and we pulled up just a few of the the ways in which Charlene has impressed us over the year over the years. You you hung from the side of a helicopter in the old guard too there. Uh you trained in martial arts for fight scenes in Atomic Blonde. You performed some pretty extensive acrobatics in uh on Flux. Are you are you trying to kill yourself at work?

[00:02:18]>> No, I am not. I'm actually I'm a mom, you know. I want to go home to my kids at the end of the night. That's what's so wonderful about my business. You get to work with the best. And I have to say in the stunt world, there are just these incredible humans who work really hard.

[00:02:34]So, by the time I walk onto the set, everything's been tested and stress tested and foolproof, and the the safety part of it is very important to me.

[00:02:42]>> I I enjoyed the the chemistry between you and Taran Ederton, who's going to be here later this week to talk about the film. I don't want to give away too much, but he plays evil pretty well.

[00:02:50]He's He's not very nice.

[00:02:52]>> Yeah. In the film.

[00:02:54]>> In the film. He's so nice in real life.

[00:02:56]>> There's something that caught my attention over the weekend that I want to ask you about. It was in the New York Times and for our audience may not be familiar with it. I'm just going to read just an excerpt. Um you were talking about this this perception that some people have of you. The perception um that that you're a tough b- word. We can't say it on morning television.

[00:03:14]Quote, "It's funny because people think I'm a tough B- word. A lot of people think I'm very cold. I'm sometimes a little brash." And people take that as she's so tough and it's it's the complete opposite. Why do you think that is the perception? How did that come to be?

[00:03:28]>> Well, like I said, I think I'm very direct. South Africans are very direct and we don't beat around the bush. Um I'm not very good with small talk and things like that. And I think sometimes when I walk onto a set and I'm that direct, I think people take that as kind of like being cold or um but I'm a softy at heart. I just I yeah I think people are just always shocked when they hear like oh she cries at the drop of a hat her kids or when they see me like when I'm around my kids or I talk about my kids and they're like wait I thought she was a bee.

[00:04:00]>> Oh when so they just assume you're devoid of emotion.

[00:04:04]>> Yeah. I mean I think it's just when you're direct and you kind of like look at people and you're direct with them. I think sometimes pe people can take that.

[00:04:10]Maybe it's I'm more sensitive to it because I'm I am a South African and sometimes I find Americans kind of so squishy like they're so good at small talk and stuff and just like >> I'm here for the water.

[00:04:24]>> Can we get to that?

[00:04:25]>> Yeah. Well, sometimes yes, you're right.

[00:04:26]We Americans do use a lot of words to say very few things. I want to show a split screen here because there's this there's this juxosition that I think people have always really enjoyed when it comes to Shirley's. their show history from Apex hanging off of a cliff and there you are in a in a Christian Dior ad. You you've worked with Christian Dior for many years now. Which which one do you identify with most?

[00:04:49]Which of those two?

[00:04:50]>> Well, looking at that, I look like a crazy bee.

[00:04:54]>> I identify with both. I feel like even when I was a kid, I would go climb trees and then I would go play dress up in my mom's closet. I feel very I don't feel foreign in in one or the other. I think women are we're you know we're complex.

[00:05:11]I don't think we're one thing or the other.

[00:05:14]>> You were, of course, Apex is this weekend. You've got another huge movie coming out in just a few months. Um by the way, it's one of those films that sold out like a year ago. The Odyssey.

[00:05:24]You're in the Odyssey. What's What's it like being in a film that's been hyped so much for so long?

[00:05:32]You know, it's uh no pressure.

[00:05:36]Actually, it is no pressure for me because I am in it for a very small part. It's an incredible ensemble cast.

[00:05:43]Matt Damon is at the head of that cast.

[00:05:46]I was very lucky to go spend the last week with them. Super fun. The the the news that the tickets actually sold out happened when I was shooting with them, which was like the end of the movie. And I just remember it was like my second day. And not that any of this pressure is on my shoulders, but I just went like, "Oh, oh, oh, oh." Okay, I better not f it up for the next three days.

[00:06:10]It's a little bit of pressure.

[00:06:11]>> Have you seen the final cut yet?

[00:06:12]>> I haven't. No, I have not.

[00:06:14]>> All right. Well, come back when it's out. Shirley, thank you.

[00:06:17]>> Well, I will. Thank you. Thank you for having me.

[00:06:18]>> And stay safe.

[00:06:20]>> I will. I promise. I want I like coming back here. I like talking to you. I will stay safe.

[00:06:24]>> All right. Shirley Stern, uh, Apex, it hits Netflix this Friday. Hey, check it out. Hey, thanks for watching and don't forget you can catch the Today Show every morning on NBC or take today when you're on the go. Just follow the Today Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen.