Name: Charlize Theron

Birth Name: Charlize Theron

Birthdate: Aug. 7, 1975

Birthplace: Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa

The world's been fascinated with this 5-foot, 10-inch beauty, who's known to drink, smoke and cuss with the best of them, despite her regal demeanor, ever since her breakthrough role as man-eater Helga in 1997's 2 Days in the Valley. At 16, she modeled and danced ballet, joining the Joffrey. A knee injury ended that career, and she moved to Hollywood at 18 with nothing. After she landed some small parts in addition to 2 Days, Tom Hanks cast her in That Thing You Do!. Some hits and misses followed, then came her Oscar for Monster, in which she radically changed her appearance to portray serial killer Aileen Wournos — and two years later, she was nominated again for her work in North Country. Her longtime companion (and longtime fiancé) is actor Stuart Townsend.


1. After years of saying her father died in a car crash, she finally admitted that her mother shot and killed him in self-defense when Charlize was 15.
2. She was named after her father Charles.
3. She was discovered by her agent-to-be in a bank after she threw a tantrum when the teller wouldn't cash her check.
4. Theron learned English by watching soap operas on TV.
5. She's suffered from ulcers since a young age.


"I think of myself as a very sexual creature. I have to use that. I like it … I didn't grow up with a mother telling me what was under my clothes was bad or evil."
— Vanity Fair, January 1999


Fiancé: Stuart Townsend, actor, born Dec. 15, 1972, dating since August 2001

2006: Academy Award nomination: Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama), North Country; Golden Globe nomination: Best Actress, North Country

2005: Golden Globe nomination: Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

2004: Academy Award: Best Actress, Monster; Golden Globe: Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama), Monster

FILMS

East of Havana - (2007) - Producer
In the Valley of Elah - (2007) - Actor
Aeon Flux - (2005) - Actor
North Country - (2005) - Actor
Head in the Clouds - (2004) - Actor
The Italian Job - (2003) - Actor
Monster - (2003) - Actor, Producer
Waking Up in Reno - (2002) - Actor
Trapped - (2002) - Actor
Sweet November - (2001) - Actor
The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - (2001) - Actor
Reindeer Games - (2000) - Actor
The Yards - (2000) - Actor
Men of Honor - (2000) - Actor
The Cider House Rules - (1999) - Actor
The Legend of Bagger Vance - (1999) - Actor
The Astronaut's Wife - (1999) - Actor
Mighty Joe Young - (1998) - Actor
Celebrity - (1998) - Actor
Trial and Error - (1997) - Actor
The Devil's Advocate - (1997) - Actor
Hollywood Confidential - (1997) - Actor
The Cop Land/Yards - (1997) - Actor
2 Days in the Valley - (1996) - Actor
That Thing You Do! - (1996) - Actor