Charlize Theron's story: a difficult childhood and why her mother shot her father

Curiously, Charlize Theron's story of fame begins in a Los Angeles bank branch, not a movie studio.

Theron was an imposing six-foot-tall young woman trying to cash a cheque for $500, which represented all her savings. She started yelling at the bank clerk when he refused to cash the cheque as it was out of date.

She later described this outburst as a tantrum, but it did attract the attention of another customer in the bank - John Crosby. He was the agent representing John Hurt and Rene Russo, and he soon became her manager. This launched Theron's acting career.

She would go on to become one of the most famous women in the world, something that the bank staff and customers never could have predicted.

Even though she found fame in the United States, death marked her time on the farm where she grew up in South Africa.

Despite being one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood history, Charlize Theron remembers that it was not always like this. As a child, "my mother never told me how beautiful I was, but asked me if I had milked the cows."

Her life on the farm was hard because her father had a drinking problem. On top of that, life in South Africa was dangerous. "75% of people who lived on the street where I grew up are dead," recalled Charlize Theron in an interview with NPR. "Everybody in South Africa had a gun."

The danger at home became unbearable for Charlize Theron on June 21, 1991. That day, her father arrived at the house drunk and threatened to murder the young Charlize, then 15 years old, and her mother Gerda.

He fired several random shots at the door of the room where she was hiding with her mother. "None of those bullets hit us, which is just a miracle," Theron told NPR. Seconds before, "my mother and I were leaning against the door, trying to push him out."

The actress's mother had a good aim and did not hesitate to take another weapon that was in the house and shoot her husband at point-blank range. He died on the spot.

"I'm not ashamed" to talk about what happened, says Charlize Theron when asked about the matter. The police acquitted Theron's mother because they deemed that she had acted in self-defence.

That day, both mother and daughter understood that if they wanted to survive, they had to leave. The decision was simple, Charlize Theron would go to New York and work to become a dancer, studies that she would pay for by working as a model.

But fate had another setback in store for her, a knee injury that shattered her dream of dancing. The young woman decided to turn her back on the world and lock herself in her gloomy apartment.

Again, Gerda had to intervene. She took a flight to the United States and gave her daughter an ultimatum: "If you're going to cry, you'll go back to South Africa." The $500 check that her mother gave her was the same one that they did not want to cash at the start of this story.

Of course, she was not an overnight success. The agent who discovered Charlize Theron only offered her roles as an explosive blonde, and the actress wanted to get away from that kind of typecasting.

The young South African moved to a cheap motel in Los Angeles where, after two years, she chose to fire the agent. She began exploring other avenues such as advertising.

This was not a bad idea because, in the mid-90s, supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer had elevated advertising and fashion to the category of art. It was there that Charlize Theron, at just 20 years old, would become a television icon.

It was in 1995 when Martini hired her for an ad that is now historic. Her gestures, such as brushing her lip; her woollen dress hooked on the chair; and her walk away from the camera, amazed the world and gave Charlize Theron the fame she had been seeking for five years.

With fame and resources, Charlize Theron found it easier to find roles but was aware that her physique could pigeonhole her. Thus, when the chance to play Alice Wuornos in 'Monster' arose, she fought hard to get the role.

Her performance, coupled with a spectacular makeover, ensured that her role was one of the best in cinema history. Not surprisingly, she won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2004.

After half a life fighting for her dream, Charlize Theron was at the top and this became clear when Nelson Mandela thanked her for putting South Africa on the world map. It was the first time that the actress was speechless.

In fact, she had been criticized in her native country for losing her accent and for living in Los Angeles. But, Charlize Theron learned to ignore the haters and enjoy her life. She was in her prime. It seemed like things couldn't get any better, but trouble was around the corner.

Films like 'Aeon Flux', 'Hancock' and 'The Valley of Elah' did not work out as expected and the actress decided to take a three-year break. During this hiatus, she adopted her two children: Jackson and August.

In addition, she dedicated herself to supporting various social causes such as the rights of the LGTBIQ + collective, animals, HIV prevention and all kinds of collaborations with the United Nations, an organization that would name her a messenger of peace.

In 2011 she returned to the silver screen, proving again that she was one of the best actresses in the world, with amazing range. She showed herself to be adept at action, romantic comedies, and as the Evil Queen in 'Snow White and the Huntsman'.

In 2015, Theron secured one of the biggest roles of her career. Her Imperator Furiosa in 'Mad Max: Fury Road' was a hymn to female power in Hollywood.

At this time, Charlize Theron became one of the best-paid actresses in the world. She earned $15 million for each of her appearances in the 'Fast and Furious' saga (8 and 9) and another $10 million for an appearance in 'The Huntsman and the Ice Queen'.

And her mother? Well, Gerda Maritz lives in the apartment next to Charlize Theron's and has become her regular companion to events, presentations and various parties.

The woman who saved Charlize Theron's life and career twice remains her great support.

And finally, an example of Charlize Theron's character. During the filming of 'Mad Max: Fury Road', the actress and Tom Hardy never got along. During the seven months that the filming lasted, the actors constantly collided, which raised the performance level of both.

At the end of filming, Tom Hardy drew a picture of Charlize Theron and signed it with a dedication: “You are an absolute nightmare, but you are also amazing. Somehow, I'll miss you." That drawing now hangs in her office.