In recent years, other Hollywood luminaries such as Keanu Reeves, Matt Damon, Uma Thurman, and Charlize Theron have embraced the role of action movie stars, incorporating various martial arts techniques into their performances. Theron, in particular, has expressed confidence in her ability to outperform a famous actor in combat.

Charlize Theron

Steven Seagal rose to prominence in the 1990s as a prominent action movie star, showcasing his distinctive Aikido martial arts style in movies such as Hard to Kill, Out for Justice, and Under Siege. However, by the end of the decade, his cinematic releases were limited to straight-to-video productions, a trend that has continued to the present day. 

Did Charlize Theron Call Steven Seagal Films Fraud

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show in 2020, Charlize Theron discussed her action movie The Old Guard and shared insights on how she could potentially outperform Steven Seagal in a martial arts showdown. Theron identified weaknesses in Seagal’s fighting style that she believed she could exploit to her advantage. 

Unsurprisingly, fight scenes in movies are carefully planned and often favor the lead actor. However, Steven Seagal marketed himself as a bona fide martial artist, and Charlize Theron was unconvinced after reviewing footage of his actual fights. Despite Seagal’s self-proclaimed expertise, Theron was skeptical after observing his performances.

Charlize Theron

“When I make a movie like this, at night, I’ll go online just to watch fighters or watch people fight,” Theron said. “You always come across that odd Seagal video of him fighting in Japan, but he really isn’t. He’s just incredibly overweight and pushing people. He’s overweight, and he barely fights. Look it up. It’s ridiculous. He’s just shoving people in the face. It’s like a whole setup.”

During her interview, Charlize Theron typically expressed admiration for her fellow actors, including Keanu Reeves and Renee Zellweger. However, given Steven Seagal’s reputation for alleged sexual misconduct, as reported by USA Today and discussed by individuals such as Portia De Rossi on Twitter, Jenny McCarthy on Sirius XM, and Rachel Grant on the BBC, Theron was not inclined to offer praise.

“Listen, I have no problem talking sh*t about him because he’s not very nice to women so f*** you,” Theron said.

Although Steven Seagal’s characters in his movies were depicted as capable of breaking bones and executing impressive flips, Charlize Theron noted that in real-life fights, Seagal primarily relied on pushing his opponents.

Theron has firsthand experience in portraying powerful female characters who can hold their own in combat against male adversaries, which has given her insight into how women can be effective in such situations.