What Is Charlize Theron's Net Worth and Salary?
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.
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 parent's farm and began attending The National School of the Arts at age 13. After winning a local modeling competition, Charlize traveled to Milan, Italy, on a one-year modeling contract at age 16. This took her to New York City, where she enrolled in the Joffrey Ballet School, but a knee injury forced her to cut her dance career short. In 1991, Theron's alcoholic father, Charles, threatened Charlize and her mother, Gerda, when he was drunk. Charles attacked Gerda and fired a gun at both his wife and daughter, and Gerda shot and killed Charles in self-defense.
Early Career
Charlize moved to Los Angeles in 1994 to pursue a career as an actress, using a one-way ticket her mother had bought for her. She was discovered while at a bank trying to cash a check her mother had sent to help pay her rent, when talent agent John Crosby overheard her yelling at a teller for refusing to cash her check. His attention got Theron noticed by other talent agents, and within eight months, she had landed a non-speaking role in "Children of the Corn." Larger roles slowly followed, including a starring role opposite Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino in 1997's "The Devil's Advocate," which is considered her break-out film. She also landed a role in "The Cider House Rules," another commercially successful film.
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Success
Theron continued to find steady work into the early 2000s and eventually gained worldwide recognition when she starred in the 2003 heist film "The Italian Job," a box office smash. The role that was a turning point in her career was 2003's "Monster," in which she turned in an unforgettable portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Impressively, she also produced the film. Roger Ebert expressed that Theron gave "one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema." She was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2004 for her performance, making her the first South African to ever win an Oscar. Her win landed her at #7 on the "Hollywood Reporter's" 2006 list of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses, earning up to $10 million per film. In 2005, Charlize had a recurring role as Rita Leeds on the Emmy-winning Fox sitcom "Arrested Development," and she won an Online Film and Television Association Award for Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance.
Continuing to land solid roles that garnered her critical acclaim and nominations throughout the 2000s, Theron took a two-year hiatus before returning to the spotlight in 2011 with the box office success "Young Adult." Her role in the dark comedy, directed by Jason Reitman, earned Charlize critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of an alcoholic, depressed, and divorced 37-year-old ghostwriter. She continued to enjoy steady roles and acclaim throughout the 2010s, with "Time" magazine naming her in the "Time" 100 list of the most influential people in the world in 2016. She starred in 2017's "The Fate of the Furious" as the main antagonist. The movie grossed $1.2 billion worldwide, making it Theron's most widely seen film. Next up, Theron played a convincing overwhelmed mother of three in the black comedy that she also produced, "Tully" (2018), directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody. Theron also produced 2018's "A Private War" starring Rosamund Pike and Jamie Dornan and "Long Shot" in 2019.
In 2019, Charlize was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her portrayal of Fox News' Megyn Kelly in "Bombshell," which she also co-produced. As of early 2020, Charlize's extensive film history has earned her more than 70 awards.
(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, strives to support community organizations that address the main drivers of the disease through grant-giving, networking, and spotlighting their work on the ground. The following year, Theron was recognized as a UN Messenger of Peace for her efforts and work with CTAOP. CTAOP had raised more than $6.3 million by November 2017.
Theron is active in women's rights organizations and pro-choice rallies. She is also a supporter of PETA and has appeared in anti-fur campaigns. Partnering with TOMS shoes in December 2009, a limited edition unisex shoe was released made from vegan material and inspired by the African baobab tree. A portion of the proceeds went to CTAOP, and 10,000 pairs were given to children in poverty.
She is a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage and publicly stated in 2009 that she refused to get married until same-sex marriage was legal for all in the United States.
Personal Life
Charlize dated fellow actor Stuart Townsend from 2001 to 2009. She previously dated Third Eye Blind lead singer Stephan Jenkins for three years. Theron dated actor Sean Penn from late 2013 to June 2015, and though it was rumored that they were engaged at one point, Charlize has denied this. She has two adopted children, Jackson and August, and the family resides 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.
