Charlize Theron

Actor · born 7 August 1975 · Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa

Charlize Theron (/ʃɑːrˈliːz ˈθɛrən/ shar-LEEZ THERR-ən; Afrikaans: [ʃarˈlis ˈtrɔn]; born 7 August 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actresses, her accolades include an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for three BAFTAs and two Emmy Awards.

Theron came to international prominence in the 1990s by playing the leading lady in the Hollywood films The Devil's Advocate (1997), Mighty Joe Young (1998), and The Cider House Rules (1999). She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster (2003), for which she won the Silver Bear and Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the first South African to win an acting Oscar. She was nominated twice more for the Oscar for portraying a sexually abused woman seeking justice in the drama North Country (2005) and Megyn Kelly in the biographical drama Bombshell (2019). She received praise for playing troubled women in Jason Reitman's comedy-dramas Young Adult (2011) and Tully (2018).

Where to start: The Odyssey (2026).