Charlize Theron is slipping into Megyn Kellys tasteful, solid-colored sheath dresses for an upcoming movie about disgraced Fox News chairman Roger Ailes. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Academy Award-winning actress will play the former Fox anchor in the upcoming drama, which will be directed by Jay Roach. Theron will also co-produce under her Denver & Delilah banner.
Annapurna is behind the project, lining it up after its Dick Cheney biopic, which stars Christian Bale as the former vice president. (Thankfully, Therons part wont require such an unsettling physical transformation.) Roach is also signed up to direct the TV adaptation of Fire and Fury, Michael Wolffs controversial book about the inner workings of the Trump administration.
Per T.H.R., the Ailes film will focus on an ensemble that will also likely include other key Fox figures, including Bill OReilly, Rupert Murdoch, Greta Van Susteren, and Gretchen Carlson, the Fox News host who filed the lawsuit that ultimately brought Ailess sexual harassment to the fore. Ailes ultimately stepped down from his position amid the controversy, though he denied the sexual harassment claims against him.
Kelly, who left Fox for NBC last year, was another key figure in Ailess downfall, telling lawyers that Ailes harassed her as well. She included anecdotes about his behavior in her 2016 memoir, noting that he would call her into his office and make “obviously inappropriate sexually charged comments” about her appearance. She also claimed that he once tried to repeatedly grab her and kiss her on the lips. Later, he would threaten her in order to keep her quiet.
“Roger had made sure I knew the stakes, telling me: I dont like to fight, but when I do, I fight to kill,” she wrote. “The message could not have been clearer: If you tell anyone, I will destroy you.”
Ailes, through his attorney Susan Estrich, issued the following statement in regards to the claims made in the memoir: “I categorically deny the allegations Megyn Kelly makes about me. I worked tirelessly to promote and advance her career, as Megyn herself admitted to Charlie Rose. Watch that interview and then decide for yourself. My attorneys have restricted me from commenting further—so suffice it to say that no good deed goes unpunished.”
Speaking of Rose: that statement was released a year before the noted journalist would be accused of sexual harassment himself, by numerous former employees. (Rose subsequently issued an apology for his actions, though he said he does not believe all of the claims are accurate). Regardless, Ailes was accused of sexual harassment by numerous women after Carlsons lawsuit went public. After he left Fox, he became an informal adviser to Donald Trump. Ten months after his exit from Fox, he died due to complications from a head injury.
This upcoming film is the latest in a wave of art drummed up in the wake of the #MeToo movement, a vast reckoning across industries that was arguably kicked off by the Ailes scandal—which came about a year before Harvey Weinsteins explosive sexual misconduct scandal. (The Weinstein allegations set #MeToo into motion in a more formal way; Weinstein has denied all accusations of nonconsensual acts). In fact, the Ailes project is actually Annapurnas second #MeToo-related film; the company is already working on a film about how New York Times reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey took down Weinstein.
Get Vanity Fairs HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Yohana DestaYohana Desta is a Hollywood writer for VanityFair.com.
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