Before They Were Stars: 16-Year Old Charlize Theron’s First Television Interview

Charlize Theron has certainly proved herself to be a kickass action hero in Mad Max: Fury Road, but you probably never would have anticipated that based on her early career as a model. In 1991, the 16-year old Theron moved from her native South Africa to Italy to pursue her career as a model after winning a competition. Here’s an interview she did for Italian television and it’s strange to hear speak in such a thick Afrikaans accent, which would disappear after she moved to Hollywood. It’s also worth noting that Theron went through a pretty traumatic experience during this time period, as both she and her mother were threatened and attacked by her alcoholic father in a drunken rage. Theron’s mother responded by shooting her husband to death, but the incident was ruled to be an act of self-defense and she would face no criminal charges.