If you’re in your 50s, 40s, or even late 30s and feel like things are going downhill fast, let me point you toward Apex—a 95-minute action movie that hit Netflix last week and is currently number one on both sides of the Atlantic. You might think Apex, with almost no dialogue, a thin script, and plot holes as big as the Australian outback where it was filmed, isn’t for you. But you’d be wrong. Next time you groan getting up from the sofa, picture Charlize Theron free-climbing a cliff face in peak middle age and remind yourself that these things are still possible.
What’s striking here is that Theron, at 50, seems to have dodged the Hollywood dead end that usually greets women on their 34th birthday. She could have been unrecognizable from surgery while clinging to a reboot of some earlier role. She could have been stuck in Yorgos Lanthimos-style whimsy—because what’s more whimsical and grotesque than an aging female actor? She could have been playing someone’s mother, specifically the mother of a male actor five years younger. Instead, Theron has been everywhere for the past two weeks, dominating social media feeds, overshadowing the increasingly desperate publicity push from the cast of The Devil Wears Prada 2, and climbing a wall in Times Square to promote a film that’s basically an instructional climbing video with a serial killer subplot.
It works for me. And while it probably goes without saying that Apex isn’t Citizen Kane, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable hour and a half (the length all films should be, by law) and a welcome break from the current news cycle. Theron plays Sasha, a serious climber who, after a tragic accident on a mountain in Norway, goes on a solo camping trip to Australia. There, she has the typical backpacker experience: being chased through the bush by a psychotic killer (Taron Egerton) with a crossbow, escaping by whitewater rafting and climbing a cliff without ropes. It’s a far cry from the Italian Job remake.
Theron has a track record in this area, from recent action roles like The Old Guard and Atomic Blonde. There are earlier examples of this kind of midlife career shift—though I’d argue few female actors have pulled it off as well. Linda Hamilton was 35 in 1991 when she did those chin-ups in the opening scene of Terminator 2. A few years later, Meryl Streep was in her mid-40s when, chased by Kevin Bacon, she navigated the rapids in The River Wild—and she did some of her own stunts. In 2021, Angelina Jolie tried for action-hero status again in Marvel’s Eternals, and Kate Beckinsale went through a Liam Neeson phase, always seeming to fly sideways off the sides of buses. Except for Hamilton, none of these roles worked for me because the actors seemed too delicate and poised, too worried about upsetting red carpet standards—too obviously unable to, say, kick down a door or dig a hole in the road. (Looking at those Beckinsale posters always made me tired and wonder if she’d ever considered sitting down for a cup of tea.)
Theron is a different animal entirely, and has been since Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015, where she appeared shaven-headed and built like a brick outhouse—a look of toughness that just doesn’t work if you’re an actor who’s taken too many GLP-1s. While promoting Apex, Theron has been careful to note that she had a stunt double for the kayaking scenes, but she did most of the climbing herself. It’s a whole vibe, one she doubled down on at the Apex premiere in New York last week by wearing, as a friend pointed out, a men’s suit by Dior. For those of us who are into that sort of thing, it’s great.That kind of thing was definitely noticed and appreciated. Of course, Theron has certain genetic advantages when it comes to being an action hero—especially what she once memorably called her “big Dutch face” and her ability to build muscle. And while the fact that she’s only four months older than me is, in one way, hard to accept—especially when I’m out of breath after just two flights of stairs—on the other hand, it gives me hope. If I can get to the gym more than twice every three weeks, who knows what might still be possible?
Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Charlize Therons fitness and mindset at 50 covering definitions benefits common problems and practical tips
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Is Charlize Theron really 50 Whats the big deal about her age
Yes she turned 50 in 2025 The big deal is that shes showing that age doesnt have to limit your strength mobility or appearanceshes still doing intense action roles and heavy lifting
2 What kind of exercise does she do to stay in shape
She mixes heavy weightlifting highintensity interval training boxing and Pilates She also does a lot of functional training to keep her joints healthy
3 Does she have a special diet
She follows a clean highprotein diet with lots of vegetables and healthy fats Shes also a big fan of intermittent fasting and stays away from processed sugar and alcohol
4 Can I get results like hers at 50
You can absolutely build strength improve mobility and look great at 50 But her results come from a team of trainers chefs and hours of daily trainingso focus on your own progress not perfection
5 Whats the creaky knees comment about
Its a common phrase for the joint pain many people feel as they age Charlize proves that with the right training you dont have to accept creaky knees as inevitable
Advanced Questions
6 How does she avoid injury while lifting heavy at 50
She prioritizes proper form over ego uses progressive overload slowly and does tons of prehab work She also works with a physical therapist to address any imbalances
7 Is it realistic for a regular person to train like her
Not exactly She trains 56 days a week sometimes twice a day with professional support But you can apply her principles lift heavy eat enough protein sleep 8 hours and do mobility work daily
8 Whats her secret to not looking bulky at 50
She doesn
