# Charlize Theron filmography
**Charlize Theron** (born 1975) is a South African and American actress and producer whose filmography runs from an uncredited debut in *Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest* (1995) through an Academy Award-winning turn in *[Monster](https://www.edgepedia.org/monster-2003-film)* (2003) and franchise roles as [Imperator Furiosa](https://www.edgepedia.org/imperator-furiosa) in *Mad Max: Fury Road* and Cipher in the *Fast & Furious* films.[1](https://cinegraph.org/people/charlize-theron) • [2](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/charlize-theron) Aggregators count her credits differently: one automatically generated listing counts 56 credited film roles and 9 television roles, for 65 total,[3](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/charlize-theron-filmography) while the American Film Institute Catalog lists 28 titles in its feature-film filmography.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/184570-Charlize-Theron?cp=1&isMiscCredit=false&pos=7&sid=3de19c09-0d5a-4a0e-bee5-239793899c83&sr=0.11017456)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975; South African and American actress and producer[1](https://cinegraph.org/people/charlize-theron) |
| Screen debut | Uncredited, non-speaking role as Eli's Follower in *Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest* (1995)[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/charlize-theron) • [3](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/charlize-theron-filmography) |
| Signature role | Aileen Wuornos in *Monster* (2003); Best Actress at the 76th Academy Awards[5](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2004) |
| Franchise roles | Imperator Furiosa in *Mad Max: Fury Road* (2015); Cipher in *The Fate of the Furious* (2017), *F9* (2021), and *Fast X* (2023)[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron) |
| Production company | Denver and Delilah, through which she produced *Atomic Blonde* (2017) and *Bombshell* (2019)[7](https://cdn.festival-cannes.com/media/uploads/2023/03/122555.pdf) |
| Upcoming | A role in Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey* (2026) and the Netflix action film *Apex* (2026)[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron) • [8](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/charlize-theron-reveals-one-thing-frustrates-how-hollywood-handles-blockbusters) |
## Early roles (1995–2002)
Theron's first screen appearance was an uncredited, non-speaking role as Eli's Follower in the horror film *Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest* (1995).[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/charlize-theron) • [3](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/charlize-theron-filmography) Her first credited roles came in 1996, as Helga Svelgen in the neo-noir *2 Days in the Valley* and as Tina in [Tom Hanks](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-hanks)' *That Thing You Do!*.[3](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/charlize-theron-filmography) She then appeared in *Trial and Error* and *The Devil's Advocate* (both 1997), *Celebrity* and *Mighty Joe Young* (both 1998), and *The Cider House Rules* and *The Astronaut's Wife* (both 1999).[3](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/charlize-theron-filmography) • [4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/184570-Charlize-Theron?cp=1&isMiscCredit=false&pos=7&sid=3de19c09-0d5a-4a0e-bee5-239793899c83&sr=0.11017456) The 2000 releases *The Legend of Bagger Vance*, *Men of Honor*, *Reindeer Games*, and *The Yards*, and the 2001 *Sweet November*, followed.[4](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/184570-Charlize-Theron?cp=1&isMiscCredit=false&pos=7&sid=3de19c09-0d5a-4a0e-bee5-239793899c83&sr=0.11017456)
Casting directors initially pegged her for the ingenue; her character in [Woody Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/woody-allen)'s *Celebrity* (1998) was actually named "Supermodel".[9](https://time.com/4874478/charlize-theron-atomic-blonde/) She had come to acting after a dance career: she studied at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York from about age 17, and a series of knee injuries left her unable to dance.[9](https://time.com/4874478/charlize-theron-atomic-blonde/) • [10](https://www.biography.com/actors/charlize-theron)
## Monster and awards recognition
In *Monster* (2003), directed by [Patty Jenkins](https://www.edgepedia.org/patty-jenkins) in her feature debut, Theron portrayed the serial killer [Aileen Wuornos](https://www.edgepedia.org/aileen-wuornos), who was executed in 2002.[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/charlize-theron) At the 76th Academy Awards, held on February 29, 2004, she won the [Academy Award for Best Actress](https://www.edgepedia.org/academy-award-for-best-actress) for the role, over nominees Keisha Castle-Hughes, Diane Keaton, Samantha Morton, and Naomi Watts.[5](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2004) The South African government has noted that, at the end of February 2004, she became the first South African to receive the Academy Award for Best Actress.[11](https://government.co.za/pdf-docs2/2004-2005.pdf) She also won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for the performance.[12](https://ir.paramount.com/static-files/a137a818-1c0b-45a9-aefe-20022daa87b6)
The critical success of *Monster* led to more dramatic roles, and she received a second Oscar nomination for *North Country* (2005).[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/charlize-theron) Her television work in this period included a recurring guest role as Rita in the third season of *Arrested Development* and a portrayal of actress [Britt Ekland](https://www.edgepedia.org/britt-ekland) opposite [Geoffrey Rush](https://www.edgepedia.org/geoffrey-rush) in the HBO film *The Life and Death of Peter Sellers* (2004).[13](https://www.thewrap.com/the-evolution-of-charlize-theron-from-monster-to-long-shot-photos/) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron)
## Franchise and action work
Theron's first major foray into action, *Æon Flux* (2005), was a flop, and she later described the industry's reaction as concluding that her chance was up.[9](https://time.com/4874478/charlize-theron-atomic-blonde/) A decade later she starred as Imperator Furiosa in *Mad Max: Fury Road* (2015), a film that earned $378 million at the box office and, alongside franchises such as *The Hunger Games* and *Star Wars: The Force Awakens*, demonstrated that female-led action films could be profitable.[9](https://time.com/4874478/charlize-theron-atomic-blonde/)
She played the cyberterrorist Cipher in *The Fate of the Furious* (2017), *F9: The Fast Saga* (2021), and *Fast X* (2023).[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron) In *Atomic Blonde* (2017), in which she performed all of her own stunts, she played the spy Lorraine Broughton against the backdrop of the fall of the [Berlin Wall](https://www.edgepedia.org/berlin-wall).[13](https://www.thewrap.com/the-evolution-of-charlize-theron-from-monster-to-long-shot-photos/) • [14](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/best-charlize-theron-movies-ranked) She also starred in and produced *The Old Guard* (2020) and its 2025 sequel.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron)
## Producing and later career
Theron produces through her company Denver and Delilah.[7](https://cdn.festival-cannes.com/media/uploads/2023/03/122555.pdf) Under that banner she produced and starred in *Atomic Blonde* (2017) and produced *Bombshell* (2019), in which she portrayed news anchor [Megyn Kelly](https://www.edgepedia.org/megyn-kelly), a performance that brought Golden Globe, SAG, and Academy Award nominations.[7](https://cdn.festival-cannes.com/media/uploads/2023/03/122555.pdf) Her acting and producing credits in this period also include *Tully* (2018), *Gringo* (2018), *Long Shot* (2019), and *A Private War* (2018, as producer).[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron)
Voice and supporting work includes [Morticia Addams](https://www.edgepedia.org/morticia-addams) in *The Addams Family* (2019) and its 2021 sequel, the Monkey in *Kubo and the Two Strings* (2016), Ravenna in *Snow White and the Huntsman* (2012) and *The Huntsman: Winter's War* (2016), and Lady Lesso in *The School for Good and Evil* (2022).[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron) • [15](https://elcinema.com/en/person/1982147/filmography) She also appeared in *Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness* (2022).[15](https://elcinema.com/en/person/1982147/filmography)
## Upcoming projects
Theron appears in [Christopher Nolan](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher-nolan)'s adaptation of *The Odyssey*, scheduled for 2026; Rotten Tomatoes credits her as Calypso in the film, while an entertainment report describes her as playing Circe.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron) • [8](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/charlize-theron-reveals-one-thing-frustrates-how-hollywood-handles-blockbusters) She also stars as Sasha, an adrenaline junkie hunted while rock climbing, in the Netflix action film *Apex* (2026), co-starring [Taron Egerton](https://www.edgepedia.org/taron-egerton) and directed by [Baltasar Kormákur](https://www.edgepedia.org/baltasar-kormakur).[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron) • [8](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/charlize-theron-reveals-one-thing-frustrates-how-hollywood-handles-blockbusters) • [14](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/best-charlize-theron-movies-ranked)
## References
1. [Charlize Theron · Cinegraph](https://cinegraph.org/people/charlize-theron)
2. [Charlize Theron Movies and TV Shows – Reviews & Ratings, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/charlize-theron)
3. [Charlize Theron Filmography in Order, Pop Culture Files](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/charlize-theron-filmography)
4. [AFI Catalog – Charlize Theron](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/184570-Charlize-Theron?cp=1&isMiscCredit=false&pos=7&sid=3de19c09-0d5a-4a0e-bee5-239793899c83&sr=0.11017456)
5. [The 76th Academy Awards, Oscars.org](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2004)
6. [Charlize Theron Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/charlize_theron)
7. [F9 Production Information](https://cdn.festival-cannes.com/media/uploads/2023/03/122555.pdf)
8. [Charlize Theron Reveals One Thing That 'Frustrates' Her With How Hollywood Handles Blockbusters, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/charlize-theron-reveals-one-thing-frustrates-how-hollywood-handles-blockbusters)
9. [How Charlize Theron Invents a New Kind of Badass in the Stylish Atomic Blonde, Time](https://time.com/4874478/charlize-theron-atomic-blonde/)
10. [Charlize Theron, Biography.com](https://www.biography.com/actors/charlize-theron)
11. [South Africa Government Yearbook 2004/2005](https://government.co.za/pdf-docs2/2004-2005.pdf)
12. [Spike TV Guys Choice press release, Paramount](https://ir.paramount.com/static-files/a137a818-1c0b-45a9-aefe-20022daa87b6)
13. [The Evolution of Charlize Theron, From 'Monster' to 'Long Shot' (Photos), TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/the-evolution-of-charlize-theron-from-monster-to-long-shot-photos/)
14. [7 best Charlize Theron movies, ranked, Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/best-charlize-theron-movies-ranked)
15. [Filmography: Charlize Theron – Actor, elCinema](https://elcinema.com/en/person/1982147/filmography)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Actor filmographies and performer list articles › Surnames A to F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license