The actress’s mother was battling health issues at the time she was
filming the project in Belfast, Ireland.

Today, The School for Good and Evil starring Kerry Washington and Charlize
Theron debuts on Netflix. The film adaptation of the YA novel of the same
name by Soman Chainani finds Washington and Theron as adversaries
working on opposing sides, with the former portraying Professor Dovey, the
kind overseer of the School for Good, and the latter leading the School for
Evil as the prickly Lady Lesso.

In real life, however, the actresses enjoyed every minute of their time
together on set, with Theron telling ESSENCE, “The most fun [thing about the
project] was getting to work with Kerry, hands down.”

Washington returned the compliment to Theron, saying she was also the
highlight of her experience, as was working with director Paul Feig and the
young leading ladies of the movie, Sophia Anne Caruso and Sofia Wylie. But
being away from her family while working on the project, which was filmed in
Belfast Ireland, the former Scandal star says, was a challenge.

“My kids were with me, but my mom was actually dealing with some health
issues at the time and so it was really hard for me to leave and be away in
another country,” she shares.

Having her children on set, though, offered much-needed family fun,
Washington adds. “They had a blast, but they thought that Charlize’s
character’s costume was much cooler. Well, Charlize in general, which,
where’s the lie?”

Because Theron was only away for 11 days filming the project, her daughters
stayed home with her mother, but after seeing the movie they became fast
fans.

“My little one is seven and she loved it,” says Theron. “I know it’s supposed
to be for a little bit of an older audience but she was in 100 percent.”
Check out our full interview with Kerry Washington and Charlize Theron in
the video above.