In the 2003 remake of The Italian Job, Charlize Theron starred as Stella Bridger, a skilled getaway driver who helps a team of thieves pull off a daring heist. Featuring alongside Mark Wahlberg and Jason Statham in the $176 million-grossing action film, Theron’s driving skills were put to the test in several scenes, including one in which she and Wahlberg raced through a crowded mall in a Mini Cooper.

Charlize Theron

However, in one of her media interactions, Theron revealed how she felt “insulted” during the preparation process for the movie.

Charlize Theron revealed the intense and insulting preparation process for The Italian Job

In an interview with Terri Schwartz, Charlize Theron talked about the intense training she went through to prepare for the driving scenes in The Italian Job. She said that she was the only woman in the cast comprised of actors like Mark Wahlberg, Jason Statham, Edward Norton, Seth Green, and Donald Sutherland among others. and that the producers initially scheduled her for six weeks more car training than any of the men. And it’s no surprise that Theron found this to be “insulting.”

The Italian Job Poster
“I was the only woman with a bunch of guys. And I remember vividly getting the schedule in our preproduction, and they had scheduled me for six weeks more car training than any of the guys. It was just so insulting.”
However, determined to give it her best shot, the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness actress said that it “put a real fire under her ass” and motivated her to “out-drive” all of her male co-stars.

Charlize Theron highlighted the unfairness of the industry

During the conversation, Theron went on to say that she was “very proud” of the stunt work she did in The Italian Job. She specifically mentioned the scene in which she and Mark Wahlberg drive through the mall. Theron said that the scene was “very challenging,” but that she was able to pull it off through the added support of hard work and determination.

Charlize Theron in The Italian Job

However, apart from her own struggles, Theron revealed that the success of her stunts helped her realize the unfair treatment meted out to female actors in the action genre. She said,

“I did that stunt completely on my own. It was a huge moment of feeling like, ‘Yeah, we can do all this stuff.’ Women are so unfairly thought of or unfairly treated when it comes to the genre.”

There’s no doubt that Theron’s driving skills in The Italian Job were impressive, and they helped to make her character one of the most memorable in the film. Moreover, her performance in the film also helped to launch her career as an action star. And owing to this, in the years following the film, Theron has starred in several other action films, including Mad Max: Fury Road and Atomic Blonde.

Fans can now watch Theron and her exceptional driving skills in The Italian Job on Netflix.