As an Academy-Award winning actress, producer of critically acclaimed film and television, long-time activist, and single mom, Charlize Theron has helped reinvent what the model of success can look like for women in Hollywood. And with her relentless work ethic, eye for challenging material, and willingness to commit to radical physical transformations, she’s created a remarkable gallery of performances, from “Monster” to “Tully,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” to “Bombshell.”

In this interview, Theron discusses her new Netflix film “The Old Guard,” directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and she reflects on some of the choices that have defined her career. She talks about why she relishes the work of being a producer, how fear has been a powerful driving force, why she feels an element of surprise in her films is key, and the importance of never giving up too easily.