CHARLIZE Theron has spoken candidly about the terrifying night her mother shot and killed her father in a desperate act of self-defence.
The Oscar-winning star recounted the moment her father, drunk and violent, broke into their home threatening their lives.
Theron, then just 15, and her mother barricaded themselves behind a bedroom door as bullets tore through it.
Her mother fired back, killing him, a verdict later ruled self-defence.
“He was going to kill us,” Theron said.
Despite the trauma, Charlize says she is no longer haunted by the event.
Instead, she’s chosen to share her story to support others affected by domestic violence.
The actress revealed how that night shaped her resilience and influenced the strong, battle-hardened characters she portrays on screen.
It’s a powerful chapter of her past that has fuelled both her personal strength and her advocacy work.
Far from being defined by tragedy, Charlize is turning her experience into a message of survival and empowerment, ensuring the story is no longer kept in the shadows.