Ever since Charlize Theron portrayed Megyn Kelly in the film Bombshell, both women have had their share of tensions and pointed comments regarding each other. The 2019 drama, based on the true stories of women at Fox News exposing former CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment, features a celebrated cast, including Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie, who portray pivotal figures like Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson. While Carlson and Kelly are real individuals from the media landscape, Kayla Pospisil is a fictional composite character. The film received moderate critical acclaim, earning a 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and garnered three Academy Award nominations, winning for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
The film’s sensitive subject matter made it a challenging project for everyone involved. Theron, also a producer, took on the role and began advocating for the film, expressing her empathy toward Megyn Kelly. Reflecting on her preparation for the role, she explained to Variety, “I didn’t know how complicated her situation was. I have empathy for that. I don’t think a lot of people truly understood that.” As she immersed herself in the character, she learned more about the intense scrutiny Kelly faced and the dilemmas she navigated during her time at Fox News.
However, as she settled into the role, Charlize Theron admitted that embodying someone with such opposing viewpoints was a daunting task. In comparing this experience to her portrayal of Aileen Wuornos in the film Monster, Theron stated (via People), “This was harder. She’s incredibly well known. I’ve never played anybody on that level.” Theron noted that playing a public figure required a different approach, complete with mimicking Kelly’s voice and mannerisms that millions have seen on television daily. This heightened her anxiety about the part.
In a candid moment discussing her fears, Theron acknowledged her nervousness about the role, calling herself “…s**t scared” and reaching out to Bombshell director Jay Roach to ask, “Am I f*****g crazy?” according to a report from CNN. She conveyed the challenges of relating to Kelly, stating, “This [Kelly] was not a person who was easy for me to wrap my arms around.” Despite her personal disagreements with Kelly’s public statements, Theron found a connection through empathy when she considered Kelly’s difficult position during critical moments of the controversy.
Regarding her opinions of Kelly, Theron shared that while she did not agree with some of Kelly’s views, she respected the challenges all women involved faced, saying, “I have nothing but respect for each and every one of them, for what they stood up for, what they risked.” This seemingly respectful sentiment, however, contrasted sharply with Kelly’s remarks about the film and Theron’s portrayal.
Kelly remained relatively quiet about the film until January 9, 2020, when she expressed her opinions via an Instagram post. She wrote, “The movie ‘Bombshell’ is a Hollywood film about the sexual harassment scandal at Fox News. I have zero connection to the film and hold no stake at all in it.” In her post, Kelly indicated a preference for giving voice to the experiences of the actual people involved rather than accepting the portrayal made by the filmmakers.
Later that same day, Kelly elaborated on her views in a 30-minute YouTube video titled “Megyn Kelly Presents: A Response to ‘Bombshell’ – Full Discussion.” In this conversation, she was joined by former Fox News journalists, including Juliet Huddy, Rudi Bakhtiar, and Julie Zann. Together, they screened the film and reflected on its representation and accuracy. While some details resonated with their experiences, they also felt that significant aspects were misrepresented or missing. Kelly specifically pointed out that the film suggested she sought approval from the Murdochs before asking Donald Trump about his derogatory comments about women. She insisted that this was not the case, noting, “Ailes actually told her not to do it,” dismissing the portrayal as misleading.
This conflict continued to intensify, with simmering tensions between Theron and Kelly entering a new phase in 2023. During a Drag Isn’t Dangerous telethon, Theron expressed her support for the drag community, exclaiming, “We love you queens. We’re in your corner… I will f**k anybody up who’s trying to f**k with anything with you guys.” Her passionate defense of the drag community was a stark contrast to Kelly’s more conservative views.
Kelly responded sharply during an episode of her radio show, The Megyn Kelly Show, stating her lack of respect for Theron’s stance. She demanded, “Why doesn’t Charlize Theron come and f-ck me up? Because I’m 100% against her on this.” Kelly’s comments continued a pattern of her vocal opposition to issues like transgender healthcare, which she has labeled as “a weird form of conversion therapy.”
The discourse reached new heights in May 2024 when Kelly rebuked Theron for allegedly misrepresenting the timeline of events surrounding the Roger Ailes case during the promotional press tour for Bombshell. Kelly was particularly incensed with remarks from Theron suggesting that Kelly was “…late to the party…” in coming forward about the harassment she faced. In her response on her show, she vehemently expressed, “B***h, you weren’t even at the party. You never f*****g came forward with any allegations. I’m sure you were harassed, but you were too p***y-footed to say anything about it.”
Despite this ongoing feud, it’s worth noting that Charlize Theron has spoken out previously regarding her own experiences with harassment in the industry. In 2019, she revealed that she had disclosed a director’s name multiple times in discussions but that the journalists she spoke with chose not to go public with it. Furthermore, Theron recounted an uncomfortable encounter during an audition, where the producer inappropriately placed his hand on her leg, prompting her to leave immediately.
As she reflected on the broader allegations against figures like Harvey Weinstein, Theron remarked, “The women who have spoken about their abuse are brave and heroic… This culture has always existed, and many men in positions of power have gotten away with it for far too long.” However, despite the ongoing tensions and public comments exchanged, Charlize Theron has yet to respond directly to Megyn Kelly’s latest criticisms, leaving many to wonder if this unresolved conflict will continue to play out in the public eye.
