According toBritannica, she spent her early childhood on a farm near Benoni.
During her adolescence, she was a talented ballet dancer.
Before considering acting, she began attending a boarding school for the arts when she was 13.
At age 16, she made another significant move to Milan to pursue a career as a model.
Sadly, after a knee injury, her hopes for a ballet career ended.
However, Theron still finds ways to use her dance training in her acting career.
The actress did many fight scenes and her own stunts for “Atomic Blonde.
Her father was an alcoholic who was frequently absent and often verbally abusive.
When Theron was 15, her father arrived home drunk.
He threatened his wife (Theron’s mother) and Charlize with a gun.
As traumatizing as that night was, Theron said that the years leading up to it were worse.
“That was my entire childhood,” she said.
“My trauma was all of that.”
“I survived that, and I’m proud of that,” she told the NYT.
“I’ve worked hard for that, too.
And I am not scared of that.”
Speaking toOprah, Theron explained that she didn’t know what else to do at the time.
“My only alternative was to go home.
At the time, there really wasn’t a future for me in South Africa.
I didn’t finish high school or go to college,” she said.
Later, when others told the story, they said she began “throwing a tantrum.”
But as Theron explained, “It’s survival, people.
If I didn’t cash that check, I wouldn’t have had a place to sleep that night.
I said to the teller, ‘You don’t understand like!'”
On the way out, the same man handed her his card and offered to be her manager.
Her breakout role was in “The Devil’s Advocate” in 1997.
But beyond her physical appearance, Theron blew audiences and critics away with how she portrayed the character.
Many were initially surprised that director Patty Jenkins Theron chose Theron for the role.
She explained that she chose Theron because she believed she’d have the strength and vulnerability for the part.
During aninterview, Theron admitted she was surprised by the film’s strong reception.
“The decision to do this was very personal,” she explained.
During heracceptance speechfor best actress, Theron said, “This has been such an incredible year.
I can’t believe this.”
She went on to thank those who worked on the film, her friends, and her family.
“It couldn’t be male.
So there was Furiosa, and the rest followed.”
Theron became the warrior they needed to lead the film and captivate audiences.
“It was horrible!
We should not have done that; we should have been better.
I can own up to that.”
Theron didn’t follow the stereotypical journey to parenthood, instead making the decision to adopt on her own.
Speaking toNPR, she said, “I cast a very wide net.
She was open to adopting from any country that would allow her to adopt as a single parent.
Theron added that she thinks society has a long way to go in how a family is defined.
“It’s just so unfortunate.
I know so many people who would be incredible parents.”
In onepostshe shared of the girls, Theron wrote, “My heart belongs to these two beautiful powerhouses.
I will never be the same.”
One of the first films for which she had aproducer creditwas her Oscar-winning project, “Monster.”
In producing her films, Theron prides herself on breaking rules that have often been set for women.
It’s not a very forgiving genre when it comes to women.”
I was actively looking for a protagonist that could break those rules.”
Theron explained that she is more interested in why people do what they do.
“I’m fascinated by the why.
Because in many ways, I am here today because of the why,” she told the NYT.
It seems that fascination has influenced many of the gritty and complex roles for which she’s become known.
They’re not victims, but they’re also not superheroes."
“Then at one point, he put his hand on my knee,” Theron said.
“Girls talk about this, where you just go blank.
Like, you don’t know what to do.”
Fortunately, she was able to get herself out of the situation before it went further.
She got to meet him again when he recently reached out to her about being part of a film.
She took the meeting as a chance to speak up for herself like she couldn’t back then.
“Sometimes just mimicking physicality can feel like you’re in a comedy sketch,” Theron toldVogue.
Theron showed off the new look at her 15th annual Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project block party.
She also enjoys seeing how that work has helped her daughters to grow while visiting South Africa with her.
