Charlize Theron Net Worth

Charlize Theron is a South African and American actress, model, and producer who has a net worth of $200 million. Outside of her acting career, Charlize Theron is a highly paid brand endorser for companies like Raymond Weil and Christian Dior. Her endorsement and movie earnings make Charlize consistently one of the highest-paid entertainers in the world, with an annual income that can easily top $30-40 million.

Since her transition from modeling to acting in the mid-1990s, Theron has demonstrated an uncanny ability to immerse herself in a wide array of roles, ranging from action-packed blockbusters to profound dramatic performances.

Theron's breakthrough role came in the critically acclaimed "Monster" (2003), in which she portrayed real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Her transformation for the role—both physically and emotionally—was so profound that it earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress. The film not only showcased her remarkable acting range but also solidified her reputation as an artist willing to take risks.

In subsequent years, Theron continued to diversify her portfolio, starring in movies like "North Country" (2005), for which she received another Oscar nomination, and the action-packed "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015), in which she played the fierce Imperator Furiosa. This role, in particular, turned her into an action star, paving the way for other action-packed roles in films like "Atomic Blonde" (2017).

Apart from her on-screen presence, Charlize Theron's influence extends to film production. Through her company, Denver and Delilah Productions, she has produced numerous films and television projects, asserting more control over her roles and actively contributing to the storytelling process.

Theron's advocacy off-screen is just as notable. She has been a staunch supporter of women's rights and LGBTQ+ rights and has actively campaigned for the end of HIV/AIDS, especially in her home country of South Africa.

Charlize Theron / Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Early Life

Charlize Theron was born on August 7, 1975, in Benoni, South Africa. Her first language is Afrikaans, although she speaks fluent English as well. She grew up as an only child near Johannesburg on her parents' farm, where her family also ran a construction business. Outside of school, she spent time tending to animals on their rural property and developed an early love for dance. By age six, it was clear she had genuine talent. At 12, she moved to a boarding school for gifted dancers in Johannesburg.

Moving away from home was both a step toward her ambitions and a reprieve from a difficult domestic life. Her father, Charles, struggled with alcoholism and was frequently abusive. He often threatened both Charlize and her mother, Gerda. When Charlize was 15, while she was home from school, Charles violently attacked them. Gerda shot and killed him in self-defense. The death was ruled legally justified, and Gerda took over the family business.

Modeling and Ballet

In the aftermath, it became clear that Charlize needed a new path. She entered a local modeling contest at 16 and won a one-year contract. She and her mother moved to Milan, and Charlize spent the next couple of years modeling throughout Europe. At 18, she relocated to the United States, working in Miami and New York City.

While in New York, Charlize returned to her first love—ballet—and enrolled in the Joffrey Ballet School. Living in a windowless basement apartment, she committed fully to dancing, but knee injuries forced her to abandon her dance career entirely. Devastated, she considered giving up, but her mother flew in from South Africa and gave her an ultimatum: "Either you figure out what to do next or you come home, because you can sulk in South Africa." That push was the catalyst for the next chapter of her life.

Early Career

Charlize moved to Los Angeles in 1994 to pursue acting, using a one-way ticket her mother had purchased. She spent hours watching American television to shed her South African accent and struggled to pay her bills during the early months. Her break came at a Hollywood bank, where a teller refused to cash a check her mother had mailed. Charlize launched into a heated argument, which caught the attention of talent agent John Crosby, who was standing behind her. He gave her his card and later helped connect her with acting classes and contacts in the industry.

Within eight months, she had landed a non-speaking role in "Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest." That led to a small part in "2 Days in the Valley" (1996), which got her noticed. Roles followed in "That Thing You Do," "Trial and Error," and 1997's "The Devil's Advocate" opposite Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino, which became her breakout film. She also appeared in "The Cider House Rules" and steadily gained momentum in both commercial and critical circles.

Anthony Harvey / Getty Images

Early Life

Charlize Theron was born on August 7, 1975, in Benoni, South Africa. Her first language is Afrikaans, although she speaks fluent English as well. She grew up as an only child near Johannesburg on her parents' farm, where her family also ran a construction business. Outside of school, she spent time tending to animals on their rural property and developed an early love for dance. By age six, it was clear she had genuine talent. At 12, she moved to a boarding school for gifted dancers in Johannesburg.

Moving away from home was both a step toward her ambitions and a reprieve from a difficult domestic life. Her father, Charles, struggled with alcoholism and was frequently abusive. He often threatened both Charlize and her mother, Gerda. When Charlize was 15, while she was home from school, Charles violently attacked them. Gerda shot and killed him in self-defense. The death was ruled legally justified, and Gerda took over the family business.

Modeling and Ballet

In the aftermath, it became clear that Charlize needed a new path. She entered a local modeling contest at 16 and won a one-year contract. She and her mother moved to Milan, and Charlize spent the next couple of years modeling throughout Europe. At 18, she relocated to the United States, working in Miami and New York City.

While in New York, Charlize returned to her first love—ballet—and enrolled in the Joffrey Ballet School. Living in a windowless basement apartment, she committed fully to dancing, but knee injuries forced her to abandon her dance career entirely. Devastated, she considered giving up, but her mother flew in from South Africa and gave her an ultimatum: "Either you figure out what to do next or you come home, because you can sulk in South Africa." That push was the catalyst for the next chapter of her life.

Early Career

Charlize moved to Los Angeles in 1994 to pursue acting, using a one-way ticket her mother had purchased. She spent hours watching American television to shed her South African accent and struggled to pay her bills during the early months. Her break came at a Hollywood bank, where a teller refused to cash a check her mother had mailed. Charlize launched into a heated argument, which caught the attention of talent agent John Crosby, who was standing behind her. He gave her his card and later helped connect her with acting classes and contacts in the industry.

Within eight months, she had landed a non-speaking role in "Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest." That led to a small part in "2 Days in the Valley" (1996), which got her noticed. Roles followed in "That Thing You Do," "Trial and Error," and 1997's "The Devil's Advocate" opposite Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino, which became her breakout film. She also appeared in "The Cider House Rules" and steadily gained momentum in both commercial and critical circles.

(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Activism

In 2007, Charlize created the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTAOP), whose mission is to support African youth in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The project, primarily concentrated in South Africa, supports community organizations that address the root causes of the epidemic through grants and grassroots support. By November 2017, CTAOP had raised more than $6.3 million.

Theron was named a UN Messenger of Peace in 2008 in recognition of her advocacy work. She has also been active in women's rights and domestic violence initiatives, particularly in South Africa, drawing from her personal experiences to support survivors. She is a longtime supporter of PETA and appeared in anti-fur campaigns. In 2009, she partnered with TOMS to launch a limited-edition vegan shoe line inspired by the African baobab tree, with proceeds benefiting CTAOP and 10,000 pairs donated to children in need.

Charlize has also been a vocal advocate for same-sex marriage and declared in 2009 that she would not marry until marriage equality was recognized throughout the U.S.

Charlize Theron / Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Personal Life

Charlize dated actor Stuart Townsend from 2001 to 2009 and was previously in a relationship with Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins. She dated Sean Penn from 2013 to 2015, though she has denied rumors that they were ever engaged. She has adopted two children, Jackson and August, and resides with them in Los Angeles.

Earnings and Endorsements

Charlize is consistently one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. Between September 2017 and September 2018, she earned $23 million. In 2019, she was the ninth highest-paid actress in the world. At least half of her earnings in a given year come from a valuable portfolio of endorsements. Theron signed an endorsement deal with John Galliano in 2004. She has appeared in advertisements for Christian Dior. She earned $3 million to endorse Raymond Weil watches between 2005 and 2006.

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Real Estate

Charlize's primary residence is a Spanish-style mansion in the Hollywood Hills that she bought in 1998 for $1.65 million. In 2004, she paid $3 million for a second Hollywood Hills mansion. She listed this home for sale in February 2024 for $3.75 million.

In 2005, Charlize paid $1.8 million for a modest home in West Hollywood, California. She listed this home for sale in September 2020 for $1.9 million.

In 2007, Charlize paid $2.75 million for a penthouse apartment in the famous Broadway Hollywood Lofts building which was a department store in the 1920s and 1930s. It's a two-floor loft-style unit covering 2,350 square feet but only has ONE bedroom. She sold the penthouse at a loss in 2016 for $1.75 million. The buyer was Netflix co-founder and co-CEO Reed Hastings.

In July 2018, Charlize paid $4.2 million for a 21-acre property in Ojai, California. She proceeded to perform a total and extensive renovation of the property, which had previously been in the same family for more than five decades. Today her Ojai property is likely worth $15+ million.

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