It’s Charlize Theron’s 50th birthday today. While she’s known for big films and red carpet glamour, one role stands apart is her transformation in Monster back in 2003.
Charlize played Aileen Wuornos, a woman who spent years living on the edge before being convicted of killing seven men. The film doesn’t try to soften what she did. But it does show what led her there.
To take on the role, Charlize didn’t just act. She altered everything. She gained around 14 kilos. She wore fake teeth, changed her eyebrows, and used lenses to shift the look in her eyes. She studied Aileen’s voice and body language carefully — even small things, like the way she puffed her face when tense.
The result didn’t feel like acting. It felt like someone cracking open a person’s mind and letting the audience sit with all the mess inside. That’s probably why so many people didn’t recognise Charlize at first. She was nearly unrecognisable.
The film, directed by Patty Jenkins, focused on more than just the crimes. It also followed Aileen’s past — growing up in violence, living on the streets, and trying to hold on to a broken kind of love. Charlize brought all that to screen without overplaying any part of it. She didn’t ask us to pity the character, but she made it impossible to ignore her.
Her scenes with Christina Ricci, who played Aileen’s girlfriend, felt real in a raw, uncertain way. You could see how much Aileen wanted to build something normal, but just didn’t know how.
That role earned Charlize her first Oscar. But even more than that, it changed how people saw her. No longer just a former model or a Hollywood star, she proved she could take risks that most wouldn’t.
Two decades later, Monster still feels like one of the boldest performances by any actor. On her milestone birthday, it’s a reminder of the moment Charlize stopped playing safe and left a mark that hasn’t faded.
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