Love in the air as Mandela, Theron meet

JOHANNESBURG – Oscar golden-girl Charlize Theron was overwhelmed with emotion when she met South Africa’s most famous statesman on Thursday, telling Nelson Mandela “I love you so much”.

Theron became the first African to win the Best Actress Award last month for her portrayal of a prostitute in the movie ‘Monster’. She and Mandela (85) held hands during a photo call at his offices in Johannesburg.”You are an inspiration for everyone,” Theron told the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize winner.”Oh… I love you too,” the elderly statesman replied as he put his arm around the 28-year-old actress, who wore a plain white dress and had her hair tied back into a ponytail.Mandela thanked “the girl from Benoni”, east of Johannesburg, for “putting South Africa on the map”.”Even those who did not know it, now know where South Africa is,” Mandela said.People like Theron showed that the present South Africa was different from the country that suffered under apartheid, before 1994, Mandela said.She also met a number of Mandela’s grandchildren and signed books and pictures for them.The former dancer turned actress was in the country to promote her movie and to take a break from Hollywood, but has been swamped by adoring fans and has given numerous press interviews since her arrival here on Saturday.Theron is poised to play another abused woman in a new film from the director of last year’s independent hit ‘Whale Rider’, reports said on Friday.She is negotiating to take a role in New Zealand director Niki Caro’s ‘Class Action’, Daily Variety said.The entertainment industry bible said Theron would play another woman who decides to hit back after a lifetime of abuse.But instead of killing people, the stunning blond’s character in ‘Class Action’ gets back at her abusers by launching the first successful sexual harassment prosecution in the United States.Like ‘Monster’, the story is based on a true-life story, that of early 1970s housewife and mother Josie Aimes who gets a job in an iron mine after fleeing her abusive husband only to be physically and verbally harassed by male co-workers.She takes her grievances to court in a high-profile legal battle after her employers turn a blind eye to the harassment and when fellow female workers are too afraid of losing their jobs to speak out.If a firm deal is signed, Theron will tackle the movie after she completes the futuristic drama ‘Aeon Flux’, in which she plays a superhuman assassin who has been programmed to kill a politician.- Nampa-AFPShe and Mandela (85) held hands during a photo call at his offices in Johannesburg.”You are an inspiration for everyone,” Theron told the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize winner.”Oh… I love you too,” the elderly statesman replied as he put his arm around the 28-year-old actress, who wore a plain white dress and had her hair tied back into a ponytail.Mandela thanked “the girl from Benoni”, east of Johannesburg, for “putting South Africa on the map”.”Even those who did not know it, now know where South Africa is,” Mandela said.People like Theron showed that the present South Africa was different from the country that suffered under apartheid, before 1994, Mandela said.She also met a number of Mandela’s grandchildren and signed books and pictures for them.The former dancer turned actress was in the country to promote her movie and to take a break from Hollywood, but has been swamped by adoring fans and has given numerous press interviews since her arrival here on Saturday.Theron is poised to play another abused woman in a new film from the director of last year’s independent hit ‘Whale Rider’, reports said on Friday.She is negotiating to take a role in New Zealand director Niki Caro’s ‘Class Action’, Daily Variety said.The entertainment industry bible said Theron would play another woman who decides to hit back after a lifetime of abuse.But instead of killing people, the stunning blond’s character in ‘Class Action’ gets back at her abusers by launching the first successful sexual harassment prosecution in the United States.Like ‘Monster’, the story is based on a true-life story, that of early 1970s housewife and mother Josie Aimes who gets a job in an iron mine after fleeing her abusive husband only to be physically and verbally harassed by male co-workers.She takes her grievances to court in a high-profile legal battle after her employers turn a blind eye to the harassment and when fellow female workers are too afraid of losing their jobs to speak out.If a firm deal is signed, Theron will tackle the movie after she completes the futuristic drama ‘Aeon Flux’, in which she plays a superhuman assassin who has been programmed to kill a politician.- Nampa-AFP