Charlize Theron is one of the most celebrated and beloved actresses today. But decades before she was a glamorous movie star in Hollywood, she lived in South Africa with her parents. She has never hidden the fact that her father died when she was a teenager. His passing was in the most traumatic way imaginable. She shared new details about her dad’s shooting death. Keep reading to find out more about the heartbreaking incident.
Charlize Theron Remembers Tragic Shooting Death Of Dad
Charlize Theron was 15 when her father was gunned down. However, it wasn’t a random act of violence. He was shot and killed by her own mother, Gerda Theron. The incident happened in 1991 when the actress was still a teenager. Her father’s death came at the end of a harrowing domestic violence situation.
She opened up about the tragedy in a new interview with New York Times Magazine. According to the actress, her behavior is what set off her father on the last day of his life. However, she said that domestic violence was an ongoing issue involving her father and mother. But in this specific incident, she angered her dad by failing to greet his family member when she entered the house.
“I had to pee really badly. So I ran into the house to get to the toilet, and he took that as me being rude, because I didn’t stop and say hello to everybody,” she recalled. Charlize Theron noted that respect for your elders was important in South Africa.
She and her mother left and returned home without her dad. Once home, she recalled encouraging her mother to finally leave her father. Charlize Theron said that she couldn’t explain it, but she “knew” something bad was going to happen that night. And it did.
“He shot through the steel doors to get in, making it very clear that he was going to kill us. His brother was with him as well,” she said. Her mother had time to get her gun from the safe before barricading them in Charlize Theron’s bedroom. Her father shot through the door, but miraculously didn’t hit either of them.
When her father went to the safe to get more weapons, her mom opened the door and shot down the hallway. The bullet hit Charlize Theron’s uncle. “And then she followed my father, who was by then opening the safe to get more weapons out, and she shot him.”
Charlize Theron’s mom saved both of their lives by killing her father in self-defense. The actress said she shares her story so others involved in domestic disputes don’t feel so alone.
Mad Max Actress Throws Shade At Timothée Chalamet
The death of Charlize Theron’s father is a heavy topic. She lightened the mood a little by throwing subtle shade at Timothée Chalamet and his viral comments dissing the ballet.
“In 10 years, AI is going to be able to do Timothée’s job, but it will not be able to replace a person on a stage dancing live,” the Oscar-winning actress said in response.
Despite her role in aggravating her father, Charlize Theron said that she doesn’t feel guilty about his death. She’s grateful that her mother was able to save them both.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger