Box Office: Charlize Theron says Uma Thurman deserved an Oscar for Kill Bill; revisiting its theatrical run

Charlize Theron recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote her upcoming Netflix sequel, The Old Guard 2, and the conversation took a nostalgic turn as she reflected on her admiration for Uma Thurman. Speaking about her most favorite action icon, Theron specifically referenced Thurman’s unforgettable performance in Kill Bill, saying she should’ve won the Academy Award for the film.

“What she did in the film was just so unbelievable,” said Theron, who shares the screen with Thurman in the sequel. The latter, for those unversed, portrayed The Bride in Quentin Tarantino’s iconic two-part saga.

Theron said the role inspired her own journey in action cinema. “When I came into the action world, she was really to me like the sensei. She was the OG.”

Thurman’s role as the sword-wielding Bride across Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Vol. 2 (2004) is considered a milestone in the genre’s history. Blending martial arts choreography with emotional depth, the character has since become one of action’s most celebrated figures. Tarantino’s homage to 1970s exploitation and martial arts cinema was both an aesthetic and critical triumph.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 opened in US theaters on October 10, 2003, and delivered the highest-grossing opening weekend for a Tarantino film at the time. The film grossed over USD 180 million worldwide, with USD 70 million from the domestic box office and more than USD 110 million internationally—strong figures for a film made on a USD 30 million budget. The venture’s unique blend of live action, anime sequences, and stylized violence set it apart from other films of the era.

Theron admitted to being nervous about going head-to-head with Thurman in The Old Guard 2, calling her co-star a complete “badass.” She also acknowledged the broader issue of gender disparity in action cinema, emphasizing how men usually get a lot of credit for these types of movies.

With The Old Guard having reached 72 million households during its first four weeks on Netflix in 2020, expectations are high for the sequel. The cast includes returning stars KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Marwan Kenzari, while Thurman and Henry Golding join the ensemble for the follow-up.

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