Profile of the Day: Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron

Today actress Charlize Theron celebrates her 42nd birthday!

The South African star was born on August 7, 1975 in Benoni, in what was then the Transvaal Province of South Africa. An only child, she grew up on her parents’ farm outside of Johannesburg and spent her childhood studying dance. Life at home was difficult. Her father was an alcoholic and was physically abusive. When she was 15, her father violently attacked her mother. Her mother shot and killed him in self-defense.

Despite her traumatic experiences, Theron has forged a successful career as a model and actor. She became the first South African to receive the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2004 when she won for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster. Mostly recently, she produced and starred in the action spy thriller Atomic Blonde.

Fun fact: Did you know her second great uncle was Daniel Theron, a prominent figure of the Second Boer War? He was the driving force behind the formation of a military bicycle corps, which the Boer Army used for scouting and relaying messages.

Explore Charlize Theron’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re related to the actress.
 

View Charlize Theron’s Geni Profile

Image: Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)