Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron was born in Benoni, South Africa, on August 7, 1975. Her father Charles worked on the family's road construction business, which mother Gerda took over after Charles' death in 1991. Charlize experienced tragedy early on in her life, when her mother shot her father in self-defense, after he threatened to kill her and Charlize in a drunken state.

Since the farm they lived on had no means of entertainment (no television or movies), Charlize used her passion for dancing (specifically ballet) and her imagination to stay entertained when not caring for the farm animals. After dancing in Johannesburg, she began modeling in Milan, Italy, by the time she was 16.

But modeling was not fulfilling enough for Charlize, who wanted to return to her original passion -- dance -- after only a year as a model. While modeling gave her the opportunity to travel, she decided to stay in New York after a modeling shoot in order to study ballet at the Joffrey Ballet School in the Big Apple.

Unfortunately, Theron suffered a knee injury that ended her ballet career. Jobless and broke, Charlize headed for the West Coast with her mother's support. In 1994, her luck changed when she made a scene at a Los Angeles bank after a teller refused to cash her check and a talent scout noticed her.