Charlize Theron is "Aeon Flux"

From a serial killing prostitute in the critically acclaimed film Monster to an activist in the film North Country, Oscar winner Charlize Theron has her pick when it comes to film roles.

Theron's most recent challenge is depicting the life of Aeon Flux, a trained government killer who rebels against the president of a futuristic and, seemingly, Utopian society. Her mission is to figure out why the government is covering up the mysterious disappearances of its citizens.

Though the actress said she's now a fan of the animated MTV show the movie is based on, she admits she had never watched it when it originally aired on television.

"I did not have MTV in South Africa and so I never knew about the show," she said.

However, when she found out about the part, Theron said she rented some videotapes of "Aeon Flux," sat back and got acquainted with the story.

"I thought it was really edgy and different and (Aeon is) a very different kind of female superhero," Theron said.

She said what she ultimately loved about Aeon was that, though she is a cartoon and from a world 400 years in the future, Aeon is not just a two-dimensional character.

When she began forming the character, Theron said she wanted Aeon to have a core and act like a real person; something the actress believes sometimes gets lost in the futuristic / superhero movie genres.

As the film started production, Theron said she realized she had a lot of challenges to overcome. She ambitiously decided to learn gymnastics and Capoeira, a Brazilian art form that combines martial arts and dance, for the role. In fact, one of the reasons she decided to take on this role was because the physical challenge was so great.

"I could not imagine just having stunt people do (the aerobatics)," she said. "I mean it would have been so joyless for me."

Her joy turned to pain, however, when Theron herniated a disk while practicing a stunt during an early-morning shoot. She slipped on a surface and was out of comission for six-to seven-weeks while she recuperated. In the end, Theron said she was just glad she was OK, and that the studio agreed to shut down production while she healed.

But how does the film compare to such a superbly written and produced animated show? Theron gallantly joked that if she was running around doing splits in a G-string, the film would never be released. She promised, however, that fans would not be disappointed by the adaptation.

Creator of the show Peter Chung regularly came to the set and was highly involved with the production.

"I did meet with Peter and (he) came to the set," she said. "This is his baby, so we wanted to keep him involved."

Theron said she feels good about this film for several reasons; the story is compelling, CGI effects are on board, and she directly participated with design elements such as hair, makeup and costumes.

She said she's not concerned however, about how well the film will do; Theron said she believes there is no specific recipe for a financially or critically successful film.

"I don't want to go through life ... sitting by the phone on a Friday night to see how the opening weekday is," she said.

Theron admits that she's ultimately driven as an actress by the material and the directors that a production involves. Though recognition and success are rewarding, Theron said she never picks her roles based on the potential financial or critical success.

When asked whether she thought the film would resonate with contemporary audiences she put forward the fact that Aeon Flux is the story of a woman questioning her government. Theron said she believes the majority of Americans are doing the same thing today, a fact she thinks makes the film so relevant and significant.

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