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As Charlize Theron kicks off the press tour for The Old Guard 2, she took a heartfelt moment on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to spotlight her admiration for one of her personal heroes, Uma Thurman. Theron praised Thurman’s iconic role as The Bride in Kill Bill (2003–2004), insisting it deserved far more recognition — including an Oscar.
Theron, who broke into the action genre with films like Æon Flux, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Atomic Blonde, called Thurman “the OG” and “the sensei” of women in action films. Reflecting on Thurman’s groundbreaking work, Theron said, “It’s usually men who get a lot of credit for these types of movies. What she did in that film was just so unbelievable.”
Excitedly anticipating sharing the screen with Thurman in the Netflix sequel, Theron admitted she was “scared” to face off with the legendary actress. “Since I’ve been in action movies, I’ve always wanted to work with her and do an action sequence with her. Always,” she said.
The original Old Guard (2020) was a Netflix hit, watched by 72 million households in its first month. The sequel introduces new cast members including Uma Thurman and Henry Golding, alongside returning stars like KiKi Layne and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Theron’s tribute not only underscores her respect for Thurman’s trailblazing impact but also serves as a call for the action genre—and Hollywood more broadly—to give women the credit they deserve.