Stylist Leslie Fremar on Keeping Up With Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron is fully committed to her craft. As one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors, she has tackled a wide range of projects that prove she can transform into just about any character. A prime example is when she portrayed the serial killer Aileen Wuornos in 2003’s Monster, for which she won her first Academy Award. More recently, she piled on the prosthetics to play a freakishly convincing Megyn Kelly in 2019’s Bombshell, a role that earned her a Best Actress nod at the Oscars this year. Ahead of the big ceremony, Vogue caught up with Theron’s longtime stylist, Leslie Fremar, to discuss how these extreme film roles affect the star’s red carpet style.

Fremar began working with Theron in 2008, when the actor was embarking on her press tour for Hancock, costarring Will Smith. Since then, the stylist has seen Theron undergo many style transformations, often as a result of the roles she takes on. “She’s a rebel in her craft,” said Fremar. “She will cut her hair off or gain 70 pounds—she really transforms for her work, and I have to embrace whatever is happening with her aesthetic at the time.” One notable change along their journey together was when Theron shaved her head for her turn as Imperator Furiosa in 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road. Fremar said that character brought a new edge into her style that she continues to play with today. “Sometimes when she has this beach blonde, flowing hair, it starts to feel more California—and then when the hair comes off, it’s a little bit more androgynous or tougher,” Fremar said. (Since Mad Max, Theron has continued rocking pixies or even a bowl cut).

In Celine at the Critics' Choice AwardsPhoto: Getty Images

While Theron’s dramatic character choices can greatly influence her red carpet appearance, Fremar has managed through it all to maintain a certain consistency on the step and repeat. The stylist often dresses Theron in polished blazers and tailoring, a signature aesthetic that Theron continued during her recent Bombshell press tour. Together, they looked to labels such as Dior (Theron’s most-worn label), Givenchy, Celine, Alexander McQueen, Tom Ford, and more—all fashion houses that have a focus on clean lines and minimalism. Fremar says their current appreciation for quiet elegance has evolved over time. “People’s style evolves with age,” said Fremar. “Charlize and I happen to be the same age, so I think we have been evolving together.”

Another thing that has evolved throughout Theron’s career is her ongoing relationship with Dior. The French fashion house has a long history of dressing the star. Today, Fremar appreciates designer Maria Grazia Chiuri’s easy wearability. “Maria’s clothes are just so wearable,” said Fremar. “If you go into the store, you want to buy everything. There’s T-shirts and there’s really well-tailored jackets. These are things that Charlize likes to wear in her everyday, and then when you style them with hair and makeup, that’s really what elevates the look past this everyday feeling.” As for Dior’s couture offering, Fremar’s long-standing relationship with the label always ensures a fits-like-a-glove end result. “They’ve been making her dresses for so long, they have her mannequin,” Fremar said. “They really care and know what works on her, so it’s always a relief to make clothes with them for evening.”