Entertainment Movies Charlize Theron Has 'Empathy' for Megyn Kelly After Playing Her in Upcoming Roger Ailes Movie Charlize Theron has a different view on Megyn Kelly's struggles after playing her in the upcoming Roger Ailes movie By Ale Russian Ale Russian Ale Russian is a contributing writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. Her work has appeared in Women's World, First For Women, Biography.com and the Chicago Sun-Times. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 11, 2019 02:48PM EDT Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty; Ron Antonelli/NY Daily News via Getty Charlize Theron has sympathy for Megyn Kelly after playing the controversial TV news personality in the upcoming Roger Ailes movie. Theron, 43, plays the anchor, 48, in the untitled film, which centers on the women working at Fox News and how they took on the former CEO of the news organization — and the toxic male culture he fostered. Nicole Kidman plays Gretchen Carlson, who also accused Ailes of sexual harassment, while Margot Robbie is a producer working at the network. “I didn’t know how complicated her situation was,” Theron told Variety at the SXSW premiere of her new movie Long Shot. “I think for a lot of people, they didn’t understand why she just didn’t speak up. She was in a complicated place, and as a human being, I have empathy for that. And I don’t think a lot of people truly understood that.” WATCH: Upcoming Roger Ailes Movie Will Be ‘Searingly Uncomfortable,’ According to Star Elisabeth Röhm In her 2016 memoir Settle for More, Kelly detailed the sexual harassment she said she endured while working for Ailes. He was accused of similar behavior by numerous women at Fox News, which he vehemently denied until his death in May 2017. Kelly claimed in her book that after months of harassment, the media tycoon “crossed a new line” in January 2006 when he grabbed her and repeatedly tried to kiss her. Upon shoving him away, Kelly alleged that Ailes asked her the “ominous question” of “When is your contract up?” before trying to kiss her for a third time. Charlize Theron Transforms Into Megyn Kelly the Same Day the Embattled Host’s Show Is Canceled Kelly said she never succumbed to any of his advances that she claimed stopped after six months once she reported Ailes’ alleged behavior to her supervisor. She left Fox News in 2017 and signed a deal with NBC News that officially ended earlier this year over her controversial blackface comments. Ailes resigned from Fox News in July 2016 and received $40 million in an exit agreement. He died just three days after his 77th birthday last year after he accidentally fell and hit his head at home. Lionsgate will open the untitled Ailes movie on Dec. 20.