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

Sarah Jessica Parker has addressed the wave of criticism surrounding And Just Like That for the first time in an interview with The New York Times. According to the actress, the negative feedback doesn’t bother her – the focus, she says, has always been on the story, not the noise around it.

«It’s not in my nature to waste time on such thoughts. We’ve always worked incredibly hard to tell honest and compelling stories. I don’t care if someone didn’t like the show – largely because it turned out to be remarkably successful», Parker said.

She also emphasized that the decision to end the show was made jointly with the series creator, Michael Patrick King.

«There are a million ways we could have continued the story in a light, familiar tone. It would’ve been easiest to just keep going – that’s what made all of us happy. But at some point, it begins to feel like exploitation», she explained.

Parker handled all other pointed questions with the same grace her character Carrie once showed striding through Manhattan in heels. According to her, Carrie wrote a respectable book, her wardrobe was once again top-notch, and the supporting characters became an integral part of the new chapter.

One thing’s clear: Parker is her character’s most dedicated advocate.

Photo: @justlikethatmax

The New York Times has compiled a list of the 100 best films of the 21st century. The ranking was formed based on votes from over 500 film industry professionals from around the world — directors, actors, screenwriters, film critics, and other artists. Among those surveyed were Oscar winners such as Pedro Almodóvar, Sofia Coppola, Guillermo del Toro, and others.

At the top of the list is the film «Parasite» (2019) — a profound social satire about the divide between the rich and the poor. It became the first non-English-language film in history to win the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2020 and also received the Palme d’Or at Cannes. A series adaptation of the film is currently in the works at HBO.

The top ten also includes other landmark works of the past 25 years:

2nd place — «Mulholland Drive» by David Lynch (2001): a neo-noir mystery about an actress and a woman with amnesia, full of symbolism and enigma.

3rd place — «There Will Be Blood» by Paul Thomas Anderson (2007): an epic about the brutal world of capitalism and the greed of oil magnates.

4th place — «In the Mood for Love» by Wong Kar-wai (2000): an elegant story of forbidden love in arthouse style.

5th place — «Moonlight» by Barry Jenkins (2016): a coming-of-age trilogy about a Black boy growing up in a harsh environment.

6th place — «No Country for Old Men» by the Coen brothers (2007): a dark thriller about fate, violence, and moral choices set in the Texas desert.

7th place — «Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind» by Michel Gondry (2004): the story of a couple who erase memories of each other after a breakup, only to find they cannot forget their feelings.

8th place — «Get Out» by Jordan Peele (2017): a horror film with sharp social commentary that tackles racism in modern America.

9th place — «Spirited Away» by Hayao Miyazaki (2002): a visual masterpiece about a girl in a magical world, regarded as a pinnacle of animation art.

10th place — «The Social Network» by David Fincher (2010): the story of the creation of Facebook — a dramatic saga of success, betrayal, and the tech era.

The full list can be viewed here.

The New York Times also invited users who disagree with the choices of prominent directors and producers to create their own top ten films of the 21st century using a special form on the website.

Photo: screenshot from video/Barunson E&A