Actress Charlize Theron was born on August 7, 1975, in Gauteng, South Africa. Raised by her alcoholic father, Charles, she lived in fear of domestic violence from an early age. At age 15, her mother, Gerda, shot and killed Charles when he attempted to assault her. The death was ruled self-defense, and her mother took over her father's construction company. She eventually moved to the United States and lived in New York, where she aspired to become a ballet dancer. However, a knee injury forced her to give up her dream, and she moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. She made her film debut in 1996's "All I Want for You," and the following year, she appeared in "2 Days." Her beauty and bold love scenes garnered attention, establishing her as a "sexy blonde." In the 2003 documentary "Monster," Theron took on a new role: a former prostitute turned serial killer. She underwent rigorous preparation for the role, gaining over 10kg and plucking all of her eyebrows. Her performance was met with rave reviews, earning her numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. She subsequently received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 2004's "The Man Who Loved Peter Sellers," the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in 2005's "Stand Up," and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her role in 2011's "Young Adult." From 2005 to 2006, she was a spokesperson for the Swiss luxury watch brand Raymond Weil. During this time, she was found to be wearing a Dior watch, leading to a lawsuit from Weil. In 2011, she appeared in a television commercial for Dior's fragrance "J'Adore." In 2013, there were rumors that she was planning to start a jeans brand with stylist Leslie Fremar.
Meanwhile, in her private life, she was in a relationship with Stuart Townsend, who co-starred with her in the 2001 film "The Call," but they eventually broke up. In 2013, her relationship with actor Sean Penn was revealed, and rumors of marriage began to circulate.
