Charlize Theron is an Academy Award-winning South African-American actress, film producer, and former fashion model.
Charlize Theron, born on 7th August 1975, gained fame in the late 1990s after appearing in 2 Days in the Valley, Mighty Joe Young, The Devil’s Advocate, and The Cider House Rules. Her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the film Monster earned her critical acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Actress. Additionally, she was nominated for another Academy Award for her role in North Country. In 2007, she was honored as Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive.
Her acting career commenced at 16 years old when she embarked on a one-year modeling contract in Milan, Italy, after winning a local competition. Following the end of her contract, she relocated to New York with Pauline’s Model Management, where she opted to stay. During this time, she attended the Joffrey Ballet School and trained as a ballet dancer, but a knee injury at the age of 19 put an end to this career path.
In the city for eight months, she landed her first film role after being cast in a non-speaking part in the direct-to-video movie Children of the Corn III (1995). She went on to secure bigger roles in major Hollywood films, leading to a surge in her career in the late 1990s with hit movies like The Devil’s Advocate (1997), Mighty Joe Young (1998), and The Cider House Rules (1999).
Theron was featured on the front page of the May 1999 issue of Playboy Magazine, along with a nude photo spread. She later stated that the nude photos were not meant to be published and were included in the magazine without her consent. Following appearances in several notable movies, Theron portrayed the serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster (2003). Film critic Roger Ebert described it as “one of the most exceptional performances in the history of cinema.” As a result of this role, Theron secured the Academy Award for Best Actress at the 76th Academy Awards in February 2004, as well as the SAG Award and the Golden Globe Award.
The first South African to win the Oscar for Best Actress, she was propelled to The Hollywood Reporter’s 2006 roster of highest-earning actresses in Hollywood due to the win. Earning $10,000,000 for each of her succeeding films, North Country and Æon Flux, she claimed the seventh position; trailing Halle Berry, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Renée Zellweger, Reese Witherspoon, and Nicole Kidman.
Charlize Theron’s annual income can reach $30 million to $40 million, thanks to her successful movie career and various brand partnerships and endorsements. The amount she earns depends on the projects she takes on and the endorsement deals she seals each year.
