Charlize Theron was born in Benoni, South Africa, on August 7, 1975. Her father Charles worked on the family’s road construction business, which mother Gerda took over after Charles’ death in 1991. Charlize Theron experienced tragedy early on in her life when her mother shot her father in self-defense after he threatened to kill her and Charlize in a drunken state.

Since the farm they lived on had no means of entertainment (no television or movies), Charlize Theron used her passion for dancing (specifically ballet) and her imagination to stay entertained. After dancing in Johannesburg, she began modeling in Milan, Italy by the time she was 16.

Charlize Theron works as model

But modeling was not fulfilling enough for Charlize Theron, who wanted to return to her original passion — dance — after only a year as a model. While modeling gave her the opportunity to travel, she decided to stay in New York after a modeling shoot in order to study ballet at the Joffrey Ballet School in the Big Apple.

Unfortunately, Charlize Theron suffered a knee injury that ended her ballet career. Jobless and broke, she headed for the West Coast with her mother’s support. In 1994, her luck changed when she made a scene at a Los Angeles bank after a teller refused to cash her check and a talent scout noticed her.

Charlize Theron in the devil’s advocate

John Crosby (who also discovered model-turned-actress Rene Russo) encouraged Charlize Theron to try her hand at acting. It didn’t take much convincing, since she was currently unemployed. With no money to pay for a coach to perfect her English accent, Charlize Theron set out to lose her South African accent (her mother tongue is Afrikaans) by singing along to popular music and watching American television shows.

Unfortunately for us — but fortunately for her career — Charlize Theron was not cast as the lead stripper in the disastrous movie Showgirls. But she finally landed her first “real” role, as Helga Svelgen in 1996′s 2 Days in The Valley. She also appeared in 1996′s That Thing You Do!, directed by Tom Hanks, and still voices her appreciation to Tom Hanks for giving her that break. Charlize Theron then appeared in 1997′s Trial and Error costarring Michael Richards, and had a supporting role in The Devil’s Advocate starring Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino.

Charlize Theron in cider house rules

After a role in Woody Allen’s Celebrity as a supermodel, the long-legged beauty starred in the Disney film Mighty Joe Young (both in 1998). 1999 was a big year for Charlize Theron, with a string of heftier roles; she costarred with Johnny Depp in The Astronaut’s Wife and had a supporting role in the Academy Award-winning film, The Cider House Rules. She even made time to pose for Playboy’s May 1999 issue.

Reindeer Games with Ben Affleck was next, followed by The Yards and Men of Honor (all in 2000). She was also seen in the golf flick The Legend of Bagger Vance, with Matt Damon and Will Smith.

Charlize Theron’s italian job

In 2001, Charlize Theron reunited with Keanu Reeves for the schmaltzy Sweet November (she apparently turned down the lead female role in Pearl Harbor for the role), and had a small part as a madam in 15 Minutes. After a role in Woody Allen’s The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001) and the thriller Trapped (2002), Charlize Theron showed off her driving skills in the summer 2003 hit The Italian Job, with Mark Wahlberg and Edward Norton.

Charlize Theron wins oscar for monster

With a Best Actress Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Oscar for her role in the biopic Monster (portraying serial killer Aileen Wuornos in 2003) in which she was forced to flex her acting muscles and completely alter her appearance, Charlize Theron is clearly one of the most talented and beautiful actresses of her generation…

In 2004, Charlize Theron added Head in the Clouds (costarring Penelope Cruz) and the HBO movie The Life and Death of Peter Sellers to her resume. She also starred as the title role in Aeon Flux and in Class Action, both of which were released in 2005.

Charlize Theron in sleepwalking

Charlize Theron appeared in the 2008 drama Sleepwalking and Hancock. She followed up with 2009′s The Road and also lent her voice to Astro Boy. Although she has no films set for release in 2010, look for her in 2011′s Fury Road, Atlas Shrugged and The Brazilian Job.

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role
1995 Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest Young Woman
1996 2 Days in the Valley Helga Svelgen
1996 That Thing You Do! Tina Powers
1997 Hollywood Confidential Sally
1997 Trial and Error Billie Tyler
1997 Devil’s Advocate, TheThe Devil’s Advocate Mary Ann Lomax
1998 Celebrity Supermodel
1998 Mighty Joe Young Jill Young
1999 Astronaut’s Wife, TheThe Astronaut’s Wife Jillian Armacost
1999 Cider House Rules, TheThe Cider House Rules Candy Kendall
2000 Reindeer Games Ashley Mercer
2000 Yards, TheThe Yards Erica Stoltz
2000 Legend of Bagger Vance, TheThe Legend of Bagger Vance Adele Invergordon
2000 Men of Honor Gwen Sunday
2001 Sweet November Sara Deever
2001 Curse of the Jade Scorpion, TheThe Curse of the Jade Scorpion Laura Kensington
2001 15 Minutes Rose Heam
2002 Trapped Karen Jennings
2002 Waking Up in Reno Candy Kirkendall
2003 Italian Job, TheThe Italian Job Stella Bridger
2003 Monster Aileen Wuornos
2004 Life and Death of Peter Sellers, TheThe Life and Death of Peter Sellers Britt Ekland
2004 Head in the Clouds Gilda Bessé
2005 North Country Josey Aimes
2005 AEon FluxÆon Flux Æon Flux
2007 In the Valley of Elah Det. Emily Sanders
2008 Sleepwalking Joleen
2008 Hancock Mary Embrey
2008 Battle in Seattle Ella
2009 Burning Plain, TheThe Burning Plain Sylvia
2009 Road, TheThe Road Wife
2009 Astro Boy Narrator
Television
Year Film Role
2005 Arrested Development Rita
2006 Robot Chicken Daniel’s Mom / Mother / Waitress

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