Charlize Central

I, along with three other journalists, had the opportunity to interview actors Charlize Theron and Nick Stahl, who star in the upcoming overture film “Sleepwalking,” which Theron produced as well.

The interview took place at the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco on March 3, 2008.

Academy Award winner Theron, who won in 2004 for Best Actress for her role as female serial killer Aileen Wuornos in “Monster,” has portrayed her talent in a wide variety of performances ranging from comedy to action to epic-drama.

Her movie credits also include: “The Devil’s Advocate,” “The Cider House Rules,” “Sweet November” and “The Italian Job.”

Her co-star Nick Stahl can be remembered from the HBO series “Carnivale” and his roles in “Sin City” and “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.”

Theron had a dual responsibility in “Sleepwalking”: producing the film and playing troubled mother Joleen Reedy.

“Screenwriter Zac Stanford submitted the script to my company,” Theron said. “We read it, and it stuck with me. I woke up the next morning and kept thinking about it.”

Theron said there was something about the script that captured her.

“It’s very hard to explain that creative choice when you read material,” she said. “At the end of the day for me, it is an emotional feeling that grabs me.”

Theron said she was very fortunate to have her “dream cast” sign on to the project.

For co-star Nick Stahl, it was the story that captured him.

“When I read it, it was a very simple story and very character-driven,” Stahl said. “Actors look for movies like that where we have the chance to drive the story.”

Stahl said his character, James Reedy, was very “introspective and was a creature of habit with his simple job.”

Stahl’s character has many demons to fight, but the underlying source of his problems and insecurities is his abusive father, who James finally comprehends and must learn to overcome.

“He’s a haunted guy,” Stahl said. “He is haunted by his past and goes back to see his father thinking things might be different.

“He sees for the first time the viciousness of his father by watching his niece go through the same thing his sister went through years ago.”

Stahl said the foundation of James’ and Joleen’s circumstances was the “pre-contentious family they were raised in” and they were “products of an abusive household.”

The viewer comes to understand that the persisting habits of Joleen and the self-conscious nature of James are embedded within them because of the physical and emotional abuse they had endured from their father for years.

“It affects both of their lives as adults and their actions are kind of born out of that,” Stahl said. “I think visiting his father was James’ transformation - breaking that cycle in a way.”

Stahl said his character is viewed as a savior to his niece, Tara, but ultimately ends up being the one who (unintentionally) puts her in harm’s way by taking her to see his father.

“I think (Tara) changed him, and I think he went back to see his dad because she provided him with certain inspiration,” he said. “She has given him an almost certain courage to face his fears and to face his past, and I think in a sense he is seeking redemption.”

Theron’s character, Joleen, had her own demons to face as well. Throwing herself into one unpromising and failing relationship after another, she, too, must come to terms with all of her fears and take responsibility for her daughter.

It was, at times, very hard to believe the careless choices Joleen made for herself and her daughter. One would inevitably think: “Would Theron make the same choices had she been in the same situation?”

“I don’t think she was irresponsible, and I’m not trying to give an excuse for the decisions she’s made,” Theron said. “As an actor, one very important thing to be aware of is the circumstances characters are coming from.

“When you start making choices for your character based on decisions you would make, it becomes unrealistic. I don’t have Joleen’s background and the issues she’s been dealing with. I don’t live in those shoes, so I try to walk away and not judge whether what she does is right or wrong,” she said.

Theron said that in order to stick to the road of truth with the characters she portrays, she avoids reaching for sympathy and instead sets out for empathy.

The film portrays a dark and desolate setting and similar emotions throughout, and it leaves the ending open and somewhat optimistic for viewers to interpret and conclude.

“This is the only reason why I wanted to make the film, because of the human condition it portrays,” Theron said. “I really do believe the one thing we always have is hope, even when we don’t have a penny in our pocket and when things get worse.”

Besides introducing herself to a character and morphing into the character’s mindset she would live with for months, Theron said detaching herself from her character has somewhat of a “mourning” period after filming wraps and there is no work the next day.

“The mourning is somewhat inclusive of leaving not just the character but a little family that you have with your crew,” she said. “Especially when you’re on location and no one gets to go home.”

Theron said her life is her priority, and it would be unfair to bring her work home and “drag everybody into whatever I’m working on at the time.

“I’m a very happy, joyous person,” she said. “I love my life, and I love the people in it.”

While filming “Sleepwalking,” Theron also found the time to appear in Stuart Townsend’s directorial debut “The Battle in Seattle.”

She is currently filming “Hancock” with actor Will Smith and will start filming “The Brazilian Job,” a follow-up to the movie “The Italian Job,” in which she also starred.

Stahl is promoting his second film release for the year, “Quid Pro Quo,” and is in post-production with upcoming “The Speed of Thought.”

“Sleepwalking” will be released nationwide Friday.

Source: thespartandaily.com