She continued to push boundaries, taking on roles in action films, drama, and comedy. She became one of the most influential women in Hollywood, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, producing films and advocating for better roles for women.
And in 2015, at 40 — an age when Hollywood typically sidelines actresses —Charlize redefined herself once more. As Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road, she stole the show, cementing her legacy not just as an actress, but as a true warrior in Hollywood.
Theron has portrayed several killers throughout her career, and it might seem surprising, given her background, that she chose to take on the role of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster.
Aileen was a former prostitute who was executed in Florida in 2002 for killing six men (she was never tried for a seventh murder) in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Aileen Wuornos became the subject of Monster.
Film critic Roger Ebert hailed Charlize Theron’s portrayal as “one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema.”
“People like Aileen Wuornos are often just labeled and pushed aside, with no one wanting to truly understand them,” Theron shared with The New York Times. “No one asks, ‘Why did this happen?’ I’m intrigued by the ‘why.’ Because in many ways, I’m here today because of that very question.”
