19 March, 2018 - 06:02
Amazon's dark action comedy, which hits South African cinemas in a week's time, features two of South Africa's hottest exports. Theron and Copley play a ruthless businesswoman and a mercenary in Gringo.
The film centres on a mild-mannered businessman, Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo), who finds himself at the mercy of his back-stabbing business colleagues back home, local drug lords and a morally conflicted black-ops mercenary. By Sameer Naik
Crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal, Harold battles to survive the dangerous situation he finds himself in.
Directed by Nash Edgerton, the film also stars his brother, Joel Edgerton, and is also produced by Theron.
Copley said it was an honour to have worked with Theron again. The pair first worked together in 2010.
We first worked together on a short I wrote and directed called Wikus And Charlize. It's my character from District 9 trying to find Charlize in Hollywood because he wants to present an Afrikaans music award with her.
We've been friends since then. In Gringo, Charlize and my characters actually never meet.
I'd love to work with her again, though, and we are on the lookout for something else to do together.
I think she's one of the greatest actresses of my generation.
Copley said he enjoyed playing the role of a mercenary in Gringo.
I play a former American mercenary who has found his spiritual side' and is trying to turn his life around, he said. You first meet him helping people in Haiti.
Then he's dragged into a kidnapping saga in Mexico. He doesn't want to get involved, and he probably shouldn't have (laughs) - it's like sending an alcoholic into a bar.
Copley said he really enjoyed shooting in Mexico.
TravelStart Flight and Hotel Bookings
TravelStart Bookings for the Film Industry
Get More Film Business South Africa
Select your Membership
It was my second time shooting there. The people have a great sense of humour.
I also had to go and spend a day shooting on one of the largest trash heaps in the world. Ironically, we shot on the same trash heap for Elysium. They keep sending me to trash heaps!
Having played a number of exciting roles in his movie career so far, Copley still rates his role as Wikus van der Merwe in District 9 as his all-time favourite.
There are so many reasons why. One is that I got to break the Afrikaners are racist' stereotype in international media.
The fact that Afrikaners voluntarily gave up power in South Africa is still one of the most remarkable things that has occurred in my lifetime.
I only half-joke that it would be similar to white California giving California back to Mexico.
Meanwhile, the 44-year-old actor said he missed South Africa. He and his wife, South African model and actress Tanit Phoenix Copley, now live in Los Angeles.
I do miss South Africa, but we do come back a lot to visit and spend time with friends and family.
In the last few years, what I actually miss most was the sense of hope and optimism there was during the Mandela presidency The whole world was looking to us, almost like some kind of evolutionary example of what humanity can achieve. Perhaps our new president can re-kindle some of that.
Copley said he was also enjoying fatherhood, having become a dad to a baby girl last year.
Our daughter has been an incredible blessing.
I'll never forget the first time she smiled at me when she was only a few weeks old It felt sort of like a smile acknowledging being alive - recognition between two beings - a sort of I see you' It's all too easy to lose that as we grow older.
www.iol.co.za
Actors and Performance
Africa South Africa
Africa Stories
28/06/2025
Johannesburg, 27 June 2025 - As the nation commemorates Youth Month
2025, the N...
24/06/2025
Panels of the National Film and Video Foundation in Accordance with the NFVF Act...
13/06/2025
Johannesburg, 12 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...
11/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...
10/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...
06/06/2025
S o Paulo Film and Audiovisual Company (Spcine) and the National Film and Video ...
05/06/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa 4 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundatio...
29/05/2025
Rest in Power, a True Legend of Our Screens
Johannesburg, South Africa 27 May...
29/05/2025
Johannesburg, South Africa 28 May 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Vincent Blennies, has resigned from...
22/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
13/05/2025
The NFVF, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that was create...
10/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/05/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/04/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
08/04/2025
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Vincent Blennies as Chief Exec...
04/04/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites final-year animation students to submit character designs inspired by lead characters from any South Afric...
14/03/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/03/2025
Antis pticos Orales: Revisi n De La Literatura Y Perspectiva Actual Influenza son contradictorios, dadas las elevadas tasas de curaci n espont nea. De ser neces...
28/02/2025
The Future of Green Energy: Challenges and Prospects Green energy, also known as renewable energy, has emerged as a critical solution to global energy challenge...
27/02/2025
Beginner Coding in Python: Building the Simplest AI Chat Companion Possible
AI-powered Personal VoiceBot for Language Learning by Gamze Zorlubas
You can ear...
24/12/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is calling for applications from South African film and television filmmakers to be part of the NFVF's delegat...
06/12/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the cl...
30/11/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
16/11/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sport, Ar...
16/11/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites emerging female producers ...
16/11/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites current masters students t...
30/10/2024
Johannesburg, 26 October 2024 - The 18th Annual South African Film and Televisio...
30/10/2024
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND DOCUMENTARY
!Aitsa
Practitioner: Simon Kohler
Production House: MED CINE
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING DOCUMENTARY
Rise: The Si...
24/10/2024
In accordance with Section 6 (2) (c) of the National Film and Video Foundation A...
19/10/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites postgraduate students to s...
15/10/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (herein referred to as NFVF) is a statutory body set up by the government to grow and develop the South African Film and ...
11/10/2024
10 October 2024 Johannesburg, South Africa - The National Film and Video Found...
09/10/2024
Sportel stand number: Ravel Hall G06/07 After a summer filled with intense sport emotions in Paris, France and beyond, Globecast will be happy to welcome you...
04/10/2024
SAFTAs 18 Announces Date and Theme: Honouring Excellence in South African Film and Television with the theme Back to Basics . Johannesburg, South Africa Wedn...
04/10/2024
Johannesburg, South Africa Wednesday, 2 October 2024 The South African Film ...
01/10/2024
Johannesburg, South Africa - Monday, 30 September 2024 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (...
24/09/2024
Every little girl out there who has felt different because they are not what soc...
09/09/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (herein referred to as NFVF) is a statutory body set up by the government to grow and develop the South African Film and ...
06/09/2024
Johannesburg, 05 September 2024 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF),...
09/08/2024
Johannesburg, 8 August 2024 - It is with profound sadness that the National Film...
01/08/2024
Globecast to Showcase the Broadcast Industry's Most Advanced Connectivity and Hybrid Cloud Solutions at IBC 2024
PARIS, 1 August 2024 Globecast, the lead...
16/07/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
13/07/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
09/07/2024
The NFVF, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that is created...
02/07/2024
Arabsat, ASBU and Globecast are commemorating 20 years with a renewed multi-year deal for Global Arabic Bouquet (GAB) services, providing a wide range of DTH di...
11/06/2024
Tuesday 11 June 2024, Johannesburg. The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF...
31/05/2024
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the custodians of the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), has learned of the allegations of ill-tr...
22/05/2024
Judge blocks auction of Elvis Presley's Graceland estateA judge in Tennessee has temporarily halted a foreclosure sale of Graceland, the historic home of El...
19 March, 2018 - 06:02 
