Charlize Theron recalls night her mother killed her father

An unthinkable tragedy

Hollywood is full of stars who fought their way up from nothing — defying the odds and proving everyone wrong. Many A-listers didn’t start with privilege or connections, but through sheer grit, they carved out their place among the elite.

Actress Charlize Theron was never meant to be just another pretty face. Hollywood had a box for women like her — eye candy, silent, replaceable. But she refused to play that game. She had already faced more than most could imagine.

Charlize Theron is a South African-American actress and producer, known as one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood. With an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a spot on Time‘s list of the 100 most influential people in the world, she’s built a career that few can match.

But before the fame and fortune, her life was marked by an unthinkable tragedy.