The Old Guard’s Kiki Layne on Charlize Theron, Will Smith and kicking in Hollywood Doors
- Layne plays a freshly ordained immortal warrior in new Netflix film The Old Guard opposite Charlize Theron, who she calls ‘a beast’
- Her biggest career inspiration is Will Smith because he’s ‘done it all’ – something she wants to achieve herself
Almost five months into quarantine, Kiki Layne is keeping it real.
The actress, who burst onto the scene in 2018’s indie sensation If Beale Street Could Talk, can be found at the forefront of Netflix’s latest action film The Old Guard opposite Charlize Theron, playing a freshly ordained immortal warrior. It’s a major leap for Layne, who is determined to kick in as many Hollywood doors as she can.
“I just don’t want to be put into any type of box,” she says. “Even before I got to working with my agents, I made it clear to them: I need to know that y’all are committed to putting my name into conversations that someone may not have automatically thought, ‘Oh, Kiki Layne could make sense here.’”
We caught up with Layne, 28, by video conference ahead of the Netflix film’s streaming debut.
What was it like to step into your first action film alongside Charlize, an action veteran?