Charlize Theron said she’s “not ashamed” to talk about her mother killing her abusive father in self-defense
This post discusses domestic violence.
In a December 16th interview with NPR, Charlize Theron opened up about the night her mother killed her father in self-defense, telling NPR that she’s “not ashamed” to talk about it. The Oscar-winning actress was only 15 in 1991, the year in which her father attempted to kill both her and her mother. Since then, Theron has realized that talking about it helps her connect to other people who have experienced similar situations.
The Bombshell actress called her childhood home life a “pretty hopeless situation.” Her father, an alcoholic, was unpredictable, and she and her family were “stuck” in “an incredibly unhealthy” dynamic that was caused by his addiction.
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“None of those bullets ever hit us, which is just a miracle,” she added. “But in self-defense, she ended the threat.”
A post shared by Charlize Theron (@charlizeafrica) on Nov 25, 2019 at 9:13am PST
Theron is not just unashamed to talk about this instance, but she’s also unafraid to use her own family violence to connect with others.
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Her personal story is not necessarily uniquely her own. She said, “It’s just always been that this story really is about growing up with addicts and what that does to a person.”
A post shared by Charlize Theron (@charlizeafrica) on Nov 11, 2019 at 3:51pm PST
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Though connecting with others over a traumatic event can be incredibly painful for both parties, in the end, as Theron told NPR, it reminds us that we are not alone in our personal battles, no matter how isolating these battles may feel.
If you are a survivor of domestic violence and need help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You are not alone.
