Charlize Theron Was Supposed To Be The Lead In Prometheus
This article is more than 2 years old
Now that The Avengers has opened and blown every other movie out of the water, attention continues to turn towards Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. True, there was already a great deal of hype around Scott’s return to sci-fi, but now that it is the next big summer blockbuster in the pipe (okay, maybe Men In Black 3 or that Snow White movie, will make some noise, but Prometheus feels like more of a sure thing) every other bit of news that comes out now revolves around this film. Trailers, photos, features, and more keep coming, and so do little bits of behind the scenes news, like that Charlize Theron was originally up for the main role of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, ultimately played by Noomi Rapace.
Obviously Theron is a huge name, and as an Oscar-winner you don’t expect to see her as often in smaller roles, though she’s reportedly happy in a more supporting part. With the full schedule that comes with massive success in Hollywood, the South African born actress ran into scheduling conflicts. Committed to George Miller’s long gestating, oft-delayed Mad Max: Fury Road, Theron turned down the part of Shaw. When Fury Road met with a string of act-of-god themed setbacks, she returned. In the end Theron plays Meredith Vickers, an executive at the Weyland-Yutani. Fans of Alien, these names may sound familiar.
There are apparently no hard feelings at having a more minor role in Prometheus, she’s just glad to be on board. Theron says, “I’d rather be a smaller character in a great film than the lead in a shitty movie.”
Cough. Reindeer Games.
Cough, cough. Mighty Joe Young.
