Charlize Theron taught KiKi Layne how to heal bruises on The Old Guard set

Charlize Theron showed her The Old Guard co-star KiKi Layne how to heal the bruises they sustained while filming the movie’s action scenes.

The If Beale Street Could Talk actress plays Nile, a Marine and new member of The Old Guard, a team of immortal mercenaries led by Charlize’s Andy, in the new Netflix movie.

The film marked KiKi’s first action outing, so she made sure she soaked up any advice from Charlize, an action veteran.

“She told me to relax…. She also taught me how to heal my bruises, because we were getting pretty banged up. She came to set one day with all these different creams—it was like the bump and bruise kit. I had some nasty, nasty bruises,” she told Elle.com.

The 28-year-old was trained in handling weapons and stunt choreography and took up boxing to gain muscle and strength, and her preparation was put to the test when she went up against her co-star for their fight on an airplane.

“We got to train a bit with each other beforehand, but the first thing we shot was our fight scene on the plane. It’s an honour to get your a*s whooped by Charlize Theron!” she joked. “What she represents for women in this genre—that we’re capable of being kick-a*s leaders—is amazing. Having my (action) introduction be alongside her made (the experience) that much more special.”

The movie has proved a hit on Netflix since its release in early July, and KiKi hopes there will be a sequel in which she can explore Nile’s story more.

“I would definitely love to do another film and dive deeper into Nile’s moments of struggle,” she shared. “There might be a love story for her too. It would be interesting see how one builds new relationships under the circumstances.”