Charlize Theron covers the June issue of Marie Claire to promote Long Shot, her comedy with Seth Rogen. Charlize looks amazing in this editorial, and if you’ve seen her in Tully, you’ll understand how impressive it is that she was able to drop the weight she gained for that film. I like that she did a magazine editorial with her dark hair too! Anyway, you can read the Marie Claire cover story here. Charlize chats about being an obsessive person and how she’s in therapy. Some highlights:
On her new film Long Shot: “I never thought I would be in a rom-com. I don’t think I would know how to do justice to a straight-forward rom-com.”
On why obsession is good for her: “I’m definitely obsessive. Obsessing is good for me. I’m very focused on the stuff that I really care about, but I do struggle with a bit of OCD, so I have to organize things that I can see: closets, drawers. That has to do with when I feel that things I can’t see are out of control.”
On life in her 20s and being an immigrant: “My 20s were like ‘You can die, so get it done.’ I always felt like there was a clock ticking, like everything was life and death, and I’m not a citizen, so if I don’t make it …”
On what she discovered about herself in therapy: “I didn’t discover therapy until my mid-30s. My reasons for going had a lot to do with South Africa and uncertainty and living with an alcoholic every day of my life. What I discovered was that my life was an all-encompassing thing. It showed me that I can see the big picture and understand the reason to get to a place where I could create a life for my own kids.”
On motherhood: “I love being a mom. I get up with them at 5:30am every day. I make them breakfast. I pack their lunches. On the weekends, we hang out with family and friends. I’ll cook lasagna for them – or steak. We do a lot of grilling. We go to Medieval Times.”
On being at peace with her life: “My 20s were really about getting a lot of stuff out of my system – wanting to experience the world, do drugs, travel to Turkey for four months with a backpack… and I did all of that, so by the time I had kids, I was really ready. …You don’t want to be 80 and on your deathbed and wonder what might have happened. If I die tomorrow, I’m at peace with who I am in my life.”
I’m sure there will be some people who are like “it’s sad that she never found a life partner,” but what I like about Charlize in recent years is that she keeps showing women that there are different ways to do it and be happy and fulfilled. I think she loves the fact that she’s a single mother with two young children, and she loves that she can have her mom living with her and helping her. That’s her family unit, and it’s not about finding a man. I believe her about how low-key her life is with her kids too – it’s not a performative thing of “see how normal I am with my kids, look at me!” She’s really doing school runs and packing lunches and going to Medieval Times.
Photos courtesy of Thomas Whiteside for Marie Claire, sent from promotional email.
OCD is an anxiety disorder. It isn’t good for anyone.
Nor is pretending that it is.
I have OCD, and I agree it certainly isn’t a “good” thing necessarily, but I think I understand what she’s saying. Sometimes I wonder if OCD, in some ways, has helped me find success because I am focused and driven. Again, I don’t think having an anxiety disorder is good for me, but I can see how aspects of it can contribute to drive and focus which can be used towards successful endeavors.
I wish people would stop minimizing the sheer hell that ocd is and how devastating it can be for individuals and their families.
We don’t say, I’m a little schizophrenic or I’ve got a bit of cancer going today because it would be incredibly insulting to those who suffer from these illnesses.
I know that ocd occurs on a spectrum, but, still, the severe forms are incredibly debilitating.
I agree. Discussing it only in this capacity doesn’t give justice to the fact that it is devastating disorder. While I can understand what she’s saying, I still know the deeply personal toll it takes on those afflicted and their families.
My OCD has become more prominent in the last few months and agreed, I don’t like how she’s talking about it. It’s not just “oh, let me reorganize my closet.” I would never claim to be severe compared to many people, but for me it manifests as things like “if I don’t turn the car around, which I’ve been driving away from my house for 20 minutes to catch a train for work, and check that I unplugged the blowdryer my house will burn down and my animals will die.” It’s not fun or helpful. It puts horrible thoughts into one’s mind and impacts how you live your life.
THIS. my OCD is so debilitating at times. Like, hey, better check that I turned off my stove for the millionth time and miss my bus! Funnnnnnn
She gets her kids up at 5:30am? WTH?
It says she gets up with them. I’m assuming they are the ones waking her up that early as it’s similar in our household haha.
A lot of kids are early risers because their bedtime is like 7-9.
I used to nanny and as a late riser with severe insomnia, it was brutal having to wake up with the kids.
Long Shot was really good, I hope she can do more comedies.
“I have a bit of ocd, I like my things organized ” , ok but have you ever washed your damn hands until they bleed? Or lost an audition because you had to wash them? Never liked her, and she keeps on giving me reasons to never do it.
“Charlize looks amazing in this editorial, and if you’ve seen her in Tully, you’ll understand how impressive it is that she was able to drop the weight she gained for that film.”
As someone who is in recovery from disordered eating, I found this comment distasteful. Why is it impressive?
I agree and I’m sorry you are going through that.
This weight talk really isn’t good for anyone. Literally, anyone. I’ve been teased for being too thin “you have a pancake ass” “eat a sandwich”, my niece gets hammered with messages — in school, online, — that she is fat and fat is bad, and she should feel bad.
There is no way to “win” at weight talk unless you are a beautiful actress who has access to trainers, dieticians, chefs in order to calibrate your body into the present socially acceptable form.
I hope you find some healing.
Thanks so much, Frizzy. You’re lovely x
I don’t know what it is, but I haven’t liked her for quite some time. The minute an actor begins a perfume or some artsy ad campaign, I’ve had enough. It’s akin to music I like being ruined when I see the video. It’s probably not rational, but whenever a celebrity speaks, they’re usually diminished somewhat in my eyes and social media is magnifying. Mysterious is so much better than hearing how OCD is a bothersome afterthought or your ‘troublesome’ citizenship issues. Puhleeze.
Townsend got divorced recently and praised her when the tmz reporter asked about her.
Hm.
Completely fulfilled without a man ? Really ? Then why does she keep talking about wanting a long term monogamous relationship ? That said, I do with her well. She clearly is still at war with herself in many ways and struggles very hard to be happy, as even Charlize has admitted.
I bet she was hoping Penn would contact her after all this hints about being single. Guess he doesn’t care anymore. Unreal to say but she seemed more at peace with herself back when they were together.