Charlize Theron (
IPA: ʃɑ:rˈliːz θəˈrɒn; born August 7, 1975),
is an
Academy Award-winning
South African-
American actress, film producer and former
fashion model. She rose to fame in the late 1990's following her roles in
2 Days in the Valley,
Mighty Joe Young,
The Devil's Advocate, and
The Cider House Rules. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of serial killer
Aileen Wuornos in the film
Monster, for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress. She received another Academy award nomination for her performance in
North Country. Other than her acting ability, she is frequently praised for her beauty and glamour, and was named Esquire's Sexiest Woman Alive in 2007.
[Charlize Theron: Sexiest Woman Alive | Article from AP Online | HighBeam Research] In late 2008 she was made a messenger of peace by the UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-Moon.
[news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7730770.stm]
Acting career
At the age of 16, Theron traveled to
Milan,
Italy, on a one-year
modeling contract, after winning a local competition. She went to
New York with Pauline's Model Management. She decided to remain after her contract ended, attending the
Joffrey Ballet School, where she trained as a
ballet dancer. A knee injury closed this career path when Theron was 19.
