Theron on 'Sleepwalking,' upcoming projects; best and worst of Sundance; festival films heading to local theaters; Oscars surprises

By Gregory Ellwood
MSN Movies

While introducing her new drama "Sleepwalking" at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Charlize Theron is obviously just as proud of her producing credit on the film as she is of her fine supporting performance.

"If I produce, I produce. It's a job," Theron says as we chat on the phone only minutes from each other in Park City, Utah. "We spent two years shopping it around and getting the financing sorted out. Every element, every detail, I was there for every part of it."

In this drama about a young girl (AnnaSophia Robb) left by her tragically lost mother (Theron) in the care of her emotionally shutdown uncle (Nick Stahl), Theron admits, "The story of a wounded family was obviously not an original idea. I think we've seen it a million times, but I felt in the writing it was kind of ballsy. And a lot of that came from the mother character, the one that I play."

Besides "Sleepwalking," Theron just completed "Babel" screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga's feature directorial debut "The Burning Plain," which, again, she produced. Yet, Theron spent a good portion of last year shooting the expected summer blockbuster "Hancock" opposite Will Smith.

"I have been working very nonstop, but the idea of not being creative is something that really scares me, and I know it's not something where I can ever live that kind of life," Theron says. "Yet, at the same time, you don't want to make four movies every year."

In fact, other than a planned five days on the Viggo Mortensen flick, "The Road," Theron has no intention of working as an actor in 2008. Instead, she'll focus on three new projects her development company has in the works along with the mandatory publicity required for "Sleepwalking" and "Hancock." The dichotomy between the two films is obvious, but the Oscar-winner wishes it weren't so.

"It's really sad that actors have to live in this world where they think, 'Now, I'm gonna make the crappy blockbuster and then I'm gonna do the really small independent movie that makes no money, but it's good acting,'" Theron says. "I think a lot of actors are really making an effort to try and marry those two and say, 'Hey, look. It doesn't have to be that way. We want to make big, entertaining films, but it doesn't have to be crap.'"

And as audiences saw with Smith's "I Am Legend," a realistic blockbuster movie can work critically and financially. The creative team on "Hancock" brings a similar aesthetic to the big screen in July.

"It's creative and smart and, at the same time, kept the actors on their toes and gave them enough to work with something," Theron says. "I have to tell you. There were days on that film that were more challenging than 'Monster.'"

Theron also may have found a kindred spirit in Smith. She notes, "Working with Will is always a pleasure. I'd go make a movie about pine forests or growing lettuce with him."

She's kidding, of course, but throw in a couple of set pieces, some one-liners and a compelling romance and lettuce is the hot new thing.

"Sleepwalking" opens nationwide March 14.

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