‘I’m not haunted by it anymore’: Charlize Theron recalls mother fatally shooting father in self-defence

WASHINGTON: Hollywood actor Charlize Theron has opened up about a traumatic incident from her teenage years, recalling the night her mother fatally shot her father in self-defence, while asserting that she is “not haunted” by the tragedy anymore, according to People.

In a recent interview, Theron revisited the 1991 incident in South Africa, when she was 15, sharing details of the violent episode that unfolded at her home. Theron said her father, Charles Theron, had been drinking and became aggressive, eventually threatening both her and her mother. The situation escalated when he returned home later that night and forced his way in by firing shots.

“I went into my room, I turned my lights off, and I was scared”, she told the Times. “My window faced the driveway, and I could tell the level of anger, frustration or unhappiness by the way he drove in. The way that he drove into that property that night, I can’t explain it to you. I just knew something bad was going to happen”.

Her father then “broke into the house” by shooting through the steel doors, common in South Africa at the time “because that’s the kind of violence that we were living in”, Charlize said, explaining, “Our country was on the brink of civil war”.

#CharlizeTheron em entrevista a #TheNewYorkTimes contou que, aos 15 anos, viveu uma cena que ninguém deveria nem conseguir imaginar: o pai, alcoólatra , tentou matar ela e a mãe, atirando contra o quarto onde estavam. A mãe reagiu e atirou de volta, em legítima defesa. pic.twitter.com/hAmjpi6xwI

— MISERÊ … (@Carlac33761) April 20, 2026

“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 recounted. “We knew it was serious, and so by the time he broke into the first gate, my mom ran to the safe to get her gun. She came into my bedroom. The two of us were holding the door with our bodies because there wasn’t a lock on it. And he just stepped back and started shooting through the door”.

“And this is the crazy thing: Not one bullet hit us”, she continued. “It’s insane when you think about it that way. But the messaging was very clear. I’m going to kill you tonight. You think I can’t come into this door? Watch me. I’m going to go to the safe. I’m going to get the shotgun”, as per the outlet.

“He walked to the safe, and my mom pulled the door open while the brother was still standing there”, Charlize said. “The brother ran down the hallway, and she shot one bullet down the hallway that ricocheted seven times and shot him in the hand. It’s stuff you can’t explain. And then she followed my father, who was by then opening the safe to get more weapons out, and she shot him”, according to People.

According to Theron, her mother, Gerda, acted in self-defence and shot her father during the confrontation. Reflecting on the traumatic experience, the ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ actor said she has chosen to speak openly about it to help others. “I think these things should be talked about because it makes other people not feel alone”, she said.

Theron emphasised that domestic violence is not an isolated issue. “Unfortunately, this is not an isolated story. These things are prevalent in a lot of homes,” she added, pointing to the lack of support many women face in abusive situations.

Over the years, Theron has been actively involved in advocacy against gender-based violence. In 2020, she collaborated with organizations like CARE to launch initiatives supporting victims of domestic abuse during the Covid-19 pandemic. She was also named a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2008, focusing on efforts to eliminate violence against women.

Looking back, Theron said the incident no longer defines her. “I’m not haunted by this stuff anymore,” she said, reiterating her belief in sharing such experiences to create awareness and solidarity, according to People. (ANI)