Charlize Theron | The success story of one of the highest-paid actresses

Charlize Theron is a South African-American actress, model, and producer. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. Theron is the recipient of several awards, including an Oscar and a Golden Globe. In 2016, Time magazine included her in the list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Theron gained worldwide recognition after starring in the 1997 film The Devil’s Advocate. While growing up, Charlize faced her own set of struggles. When she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her modelling career, Theron stole bread from a restaurant as she had no money. From being broke to becoming one of the richest actresses in the world, her story is very inspiring. Here’s Charlize Theron’s success story. 

Early life and struggles

Charlize Theron was born on 7 August 1975 in a town located in South Africa. Theron grew up on her parents’ farm in Johannesburg. Her father was an alcoholic, and one day, he threatened Charlize and her mother while drunk. Her father physically attacked her mother and fired a gun at both of them. Fortunately, they did not get hurt, and Theron’s mother shot back and killed her husband. Her mother did not face any charges as the judge ruled it out as self-defence. This period was challenging and traumatizing for a young Charlize. She did not fit in with the other kids in school and often got sick. At the age of 13, she attended a boarding school.

When Theron was 16, she won a modelling contract and shifted to Milan with her mother. After a whole year in Milan, the mother-daughter duo moved to the United States. Initially, she trained as a ballet dancer in New York, but a knee injury crushed her dreams. During this time, she lived in a friend’s basement and faced depression. But, Theron did lose hope. In 1994, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. In LA, she lived in a motel with very little money. At one point, Charlize had to steal bread from a restaurant to survive. One day, while arguing with a bank employee, a talent agent noticed Theron and gave her his business card. Because of him, she got into acting school and thus began her career in Hollywood.  

Theron’s career in Hollywood

In 1997, Theron starred as the leading actress in The Devil’s Advocate. This film proved to be her breakthrough in Hollywood. In the early 2000s, she appeared in several films including Reindeer Games, The Yards, Men of Honor, Trapped, and more. These films helped Theron to establish herself as an actress in the industry. In 2003, her film Monster came out and Theron received critical acclaim for her excellent performance. She won an Oscar for Best Actress and became the first South African to do so. Eventually, she became one of the highest-paid actresses, earning up to $110 million per film. 

After this, she starred in several films such as North Country, In the Valley of Elah, The Burning Plain, Hancock, and a few more. Theron took a break from acting for two years and returned in 2011 with the film Young Adult. Theron received several praises for her performance and was nominated for several awards. In 2012, she starred in two films, Snow White and the Huntsman and Prometheus. Both films performed well at the box office. In the late 2010s, she appeared in films such as Atomic Blonde, The Fate of the Furious, Tully, Long Shot, and Bombshell. The Fate of the Furious grossed $ 1.2 billion at the box office. Today, Theron is one of the best actresses in the industry with several successful films under her belt.

Lessons we can learn

From stealing food to survive to becoming one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, Charlize Theron’s story is very inspiring. Her passion, hard work, and determination helped her reach new heights. Hard work is the key to success. Secondly, we always need to believe in ourselves and never give up. Charlize faced several hurdles while growing up but she never lost hope and kept on going. 

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