Charlize Theron has revealed that she punched Teri Hatcher in the face during a fight scene while filming their 1996 movie, 2 Days in the Valley.
Theron, who was playing an Amazonian in a catsuit, says that the fight got “very physical.” The scene has since been ranked as the seventeenth best fight scene ever by Rotten Tomatoes.
In an interview with W Magazine, Theron said, “I hit her really bad.”
“I think she was bruised… I was like a wild animal. I had no concept of a set.
“I connected right with Teri Hatcher’s face. I felt terrible about it.”
After the incident, Theron sent Hatcher some cheap beer by way of apology, as she had no money.
Theron explained that she had no idea how to control her energy at the time and was knocking over lights.
She added that she was sorry for what happened.
In the same interview, Theron also revealed that she has only ever been involved in one other physical altercation.
“I was working in Milan as a model, and this girl got very aggressive with me at a bar.
“She pushed me and started talking smack, and that was it.
“My body just took over, and I thought, ‘I didn’t just do that, did I?’”
Theron has often played roles as villains, including the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Huntsman and her multi-award-winning role as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster.
Theron commented, “I’ve always been fascinated by abhorrent behaviour.
“I have a real interest in why people do horrible things.
“I read a lot of books and am fascinated by whether deviant behaviour is caused by nature or nurture.”
She explained that playing evil characters is “cathartic” and allows her to explore the darkness.
She added, “It’s a free pass for your soul: Nothing bad is going to happen, and you can explore what it would be like to be in that skin.”
Theron’s latest role sees her playing an undercover MI6 agent in a new movie.
The actress is known for her physicality on set and performing her own stunts.
Theron has talked before about her love of fight scenes and the sense of empowerment she feels while doing them.
Theron’s career began in modelling in Milan before she was discovered by a talent agent.
She moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s to pursue an acting career, and her first film credit was 2 Days in the Valley.
