Charlize Theron Just Schooled A TV Presenter On Consent

Photo: Gabe Ginsberg / Getty Images.

Another week, another teachable moment from Charlize Theron.

The Oscar-winning actress, currently promoting her new rom-com Long Shot, was praised last week for her sensible and sensitive approach towards her daughter's gender identity.

Now, during an interview on French TV, she's underlined an important point about consent.

While appearing with her Long Shot co-star Seth Rogen on the live TV show Touche pas à mon poste, Theron called out a TV presenter who thought it was acceptable to kiss a female interpreter without first asking permission.

"Oh wow... maybe ask next time?" Theron tells presenter Cyril Hanouna in a clip which is being widely circulated on Twitter.

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You go, Charlize Theron! pic.twitter.com/RIvy6Ftyuu
— . (@spun_sugar1) April 26, 2019

According to reports on Twitter, Hanouna tried to make light of his unacceptable behaviour by asking the interpreter afterwards if she was "émoustillée" – or titillated – by the kiss.

Theron's to-the-point response has drawn plenty of praise on Twitter. "Being an interpreter and a woman, I really appreciate what Charlize Theron said when the TV host kissed her interpreter out of the blue," Alessandra Vita tweeted.

Being an interpreter and a woman, I really appreciate what Charlize Theron (@CharlizeAfrica) said when the TV host kissed her interpreter out of the blue. ?https://t.co/NrKqAEuwLK #1nt
— Alessandra Vita (@AVInterpreter) April 26, 2019

Thank you @CharlizeAfrica ! In one sentence, you have highlighted exactly the problem of @Cyrilhanouna this guy is a jerk who has no respect to anyone #askNextTime
— Ludo (@Ange_Geographe) April 25, 2019

Thank you so much, Charlize Theron! I totally agree with you: even for a kiss, consent is important! And it is something that Cyril Hanouna doesn't know! @CharlizeAfrica
— (@NekoOlives14) April 24, 2019

.@Cyrilhanouna kissed a girl, @CharlizeAfrica underligned that the girl didn't give her prior consent and all he does is asking the girl if she was titillated ("émoustillée"). No, she was disgusted, objectified and infantilized on TV by you, effing stupid clown. https://t.co/YweKxHxrue
— Fatemeh Fannizadeh (@Fatalmeh) April 26, 2019

Soooo I'm just wondering but when will @Cyrilhanouna be fired from #TPMP or when will his show be cancelled?!?!? Because the fact that @CharlizeAfrica had to let him know how consent works just baffles me ... but tbh he has been called out for disgusting behavior before ...
— Sara | AJ (@sarajoliexo) April 25, 2019

Theron is known for championing equal pay and speaking proudly about her feminism. Last year, she revealed that she lobbied successfully to receive the same pay cheque for the 2016 movie The Huntsman: Winter's War as her male co-star Chris Hemsworth.

Asked about the #MeToo movement during an appearance at Dubai's Global Educations & Skills Forum last year, she said: "I think the numbers of women who have found strength and a voice to be able to speak about what's happened to them, things that they have seen, things that they have experienced, is just too powerful for this to not have caused change.

"And so I can definitely tell you that in my industry, hands down, people are thinking differently, they're talking differently, their awareness is at a level that it's never been before. And I just don't see how we can move backwards from that... we can only move forwards."

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