True Crime: Charlize Theron's Father's Fatal 1991 Shooting Back Under the Spotlight
- A Facebook post revisiting the night Charlize Theron's mother shot and killed her father reignited the debate about the 1991 incident
- Charlize was just 15 years old when her father broke into their home while drunk and fired a gun at her and her mother, Gerda
- South Africans shared strong and divided opinions on the decades-old case, with many drawing on their own experiences of domestic violence
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Source: Instagram
Charlize Theron's traumatic childhood has resurfaced in public conversation after a Facebook post by True Crime Stories revisited the night that changed her life forever.
On 21 June 1991, a 15-year-old Charlize was home when her father, Charles Theron, and his brother returned to the property drunk and broke in. Charles, who had a long history of severe alcoholism, had built a bar inside their Benoni home and had subjected the family to years of verbal and emotional turmoil. That night, he fired shots through a steel door while Charlize and her mother, Gerda, pressed their bodies against it.
When the shooting stopped, Charles moved to retrieve more weapons from a safe. Gerda acted quickly, wounding his brother before fatally shooting Charles. South African police investigated and ruled it justifiable self-defence. No charges were ever filed against Gerda.
The instability in the home had already pushed Gerda to send Charlize to boarding school at age 13 for her safety. On the night of the incident, Charlize had returned home and rushed inside without stopping to greet her father and uncle, which Charles reportedly viewed as a serious sign of disrespect, setting off the deadly chain of events.
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A trauma that shaped a career
Within a year of her father's death, Gerda entered Charlize into a modelling contest. Charlize moved to Milan at 16, eventually finding her way to Hollywood, where she became one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation. She has spoken openly about the night in several interviews, saying she views it as a traumatic but defining part of her life, and has used her platform to speak out against domestic violence.
Gerda remained a close presence in her daughter's adult life, later helping to manage her production company.
Read the True Crime Stories post that reignited the conversation here:
South Africans weigh in
The post on the Facebook page drew a flood of responses, with opinions ranging from deep empathy to outright scepticism:
@Dayna Krofta said:
"Of course it was traumatic. And the people on here asking why she didn't leave him obviously have no education related to domestic violence. I seriously suggest you educate yourself on a topic prior to having opinions."
@Sandra Campbell wrote:
"No one who has not gone through an alcoholic's abuse can know what it really is. It is not just physical; it is mental, psychological, verbal and financial. Most women don't leave because they have nowhere to go or because of the finances."
@Liz Keet shared:
"Very hard to witness, but domestic abuse is unacceptable, and sometimes self-defence is imperative and unavoidable. I'm sure it has scarred poor Charlize for life."
@Nooi Nortje added:
"People who did not grow up in the same circumstances will never understand."
More on SA stars in Hollywood
- Briefly News recently reported on 10 South African actors who made it big in Hollywood, from Charlize Theron to Sasha Pieterse.
- A viral list revisited 11 South African actors who reportedly perform their own stunts without doubles, showing off their jaw-dropping feats.
- Fans were left surprised after 10 South African stars who swapped local soapies for Hollywood success were revealed in a viral countdown.
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Source: Briefly News
