Charlize Theron Is Playing an Action Role Originally Meant for a Man

Charlize Theron’s performance in Mad Max: Fury Road was apparently so impressive that the execs behind The Gray Man are hiring her for the lead role, originally written as male.

The movie is an adaption of Mark Greaney’s book about an ex-CIA operative named Court Gentry (the whitest name ever) who becomes an international assassin on the run.

Brad Pitt was at one point attached as the lead, according to Deadline, which notes how unfortunately unique Theron’s casting is:

Sony famously changed the gender of another spy thriller, Salt, which was tailored for Angelina Jolie after Tom Cruise bowed out of the lead role. It doesn’t happen that often and puts Theron in rare territory.

Yes indeed, money and box office success has a way of making Hollywood slightly less sexist. We’ll see how the script and storyline adjusts—Court also has daughters that he didn’t know about—with Theron on board.