Hollywood actress Charlize Theron has spoken candidly for the first time in a long while about a family tragedy that occurred during her teenage years and left a lasting impact on her life. In an interview with The New York Times, she recalled events from 1991 in South Africa.

When Charlize was 15, her father, who struggled with alcoholism and had repeatedly displayed aggressive behavior, returned home heavily intoxicated and began threatening the family. According to the actress, he attempted to force his way into the house and fired shots through the door, declaring his intention to kill both his wife and daughter. At that moment, Charlize and her mother were hiding in a bedroom.

In the critical situation, her mother, Gerda Theron, took a firearm and opened fire in order to protect herself and her child. The police later ruled the incident to be self-defense, and no charges were filed.

The actress admitted that for a long time she was unable to speak about the event and even fabricated an alternative version – that her father had died in a car accident. She explained this as stemming from shame and a desire to avoid sympathy. Theron also noted that living in an atmosphere of constant fear forced her to grow up far too quickly.

After the tragedy, her mother tried to preserve a sense of normality for her daughter: Charlize was sent to school the very next day, and later supported in her decision to leave the country. At 16, she moved to Europe, where she began a modeling career that eventually led her to Hollywood.

Theron emphasized that her story is only one of many similar ones and stressed the importance of speaking about domestic violence so that those who have experienced similar situations are not left alone with their trauma.

Photo: Instagram @charlizeafrica