Charlize Theron enjoys the 'pure panic' of producing as she gears up for the release of

Take surveys. Get PAID: Charlize Theron enjoys the 'pure panic' of producing as she gears up for the release of Bombshell. She's an Academy Award-winning actress with a host of starring roles and successful films under her belt. 

And Charlize Theron admitted during a sit-down with The Hollywood Reporter that she thrives in the 'pure panic' environment of producing as she gears up for the release of Bombshell.

The 44-year-old star joined a group of top producers in the entertainment industry for a roundtable to discuss the highs and lows of working behind the camera. 

'Pure panic is what makes me stick around,' she said of the mentality surrounding finishing a film. 'Usually the projects that scare me the most are the ones that just don't leave.'

Her first run in the producer's seat was more than a decade ago in a film where she earned top honors with an Oscar for her acting.

'I started producing on Monster, and it just happened that I felt the need to protect a first-time director [Patty Jenkins], who was really taking a huge risk,' she said. 'The character was very unusual. And initially when we went in to get our financing, it became very clear to me that there was this need for me to step in.

'Because I think the financiers actually thought they were basically paying for a hot lesbian movie with me and Christina Ricci.' 

Charlize portrayed a Daytona Beach prostitute turned serial killer named Aileen Wuornos. 

Despite claiming self-defense, Wuornos was convicted of murdering multiple men and was executed by lethal injection on Oct. 9, 2002.  

'There were a lot of fights,' Charlize remembered of the process of getting to create the movie she wanted with Jenkins. 

'As soon as I started gaining weight, I had one of the financiers call me up. Actually, his wife saw me, and she was like, "Did you see Charlize? Have you seen what she looks like?" And I got that call, like, "What's going on with that?"'

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