Charlize Theron talks about her first outing as a producer on what turns out to be a hit at 65th Venice Film Festival

By Cassandra Gava

VENICE, Italy (RUSHPRNEWS) 9/01/08 – “It seemed like the toughest thing about being an Executive Producer and lead actress is negotiating with yourself,” Charlize Theron told Hollywood Today at the 65th Venice Film Festival where her film “The Burning Plain” was being premiered.
Apparently Theron the producer won out on the negotiations as Charlize the actor claimed to be unhappy as “she couldn’t afford to pay herself very much.”

One of the most anticipated films of the festival was “The Burning Plain,” a first time directorial effort by the award winning screenwriter of “Babel” and “21 Grams”, Guillermo Arriaga. The whole gang was hanging out on the terrace of the Hotel Des Bains excitedly waiting for the premiere.

There was Guillermo himself, a tall charming man who captivated the people at our table, Spanish actor Joaquin De Almeida who seemed to give a peck to every female on the terrace and other cast members. This is a cast led by two formidable females, Kim Basinger and Charlize Theron.

Theron recommended Basinger for The Burning Plain and explained: “Right from the beginning we had a discussion about who we thought would play this role. There was a list, because there are only nominal actresses of that age. They are great actresses.

“Kim is amazing. There is a strength about Kim now, at her age, more than when she was working in her 30s. She has a left-over vulnerability from her 20s that you can really see.”
Charlize was also the Executive Producer of the film working with producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald and she said that she was “excited about the business end of the business.”

Charlize and the young co-star Jennifer Lawrence raved about working with Kim and her generosity and support as a fellow actor.

In fact, everyone on the film proclaimed it as a labor of love and not of money. Let’s hope it pays off for everyone during the Award Season. After all, those little gold statuettes can bring in the green stuff.

SOURCE: Hollywood Today
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