Born in Benoni, South Africa, to German mother Gerda and and father Charles Theron, Charlize grew up with Afrikaans as her first language. Her last name, Theron, is pronounced as 'Tronn' in Afrikaans, while Charlize herself prefers the pronunciation 'Thrown,' even though the most commonly heard references to her name all say 'The-ron' instead.

An only child, Charlize witnessed the gruesome event when her mother shot her alcoholic father dead, in self-defense. No charges were laid against Gerda, and Charlize has always sided with her mother unequivocally.

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