20 Things You Didn't Know About Charlize Theron
9. She Continued To Feature On "Most Important" Lists Even In Years When She Didn't Release Anything
She returned to acting in 2011, pairing with director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody to headline their second collaboration, Young Adult, in which she plays an alcoholic YA novelist trying to relive her high school years. It was met with critical acclaim, with Richard Roeper calling it one of the best performances of the year.
At this point, she had proven her range, transitioning from every genre. Like many actresses, she started in a bit part in a low-budget horror film, but she flipped the script almost immediately. Typically, actors need a certain amount of clout to pursue roles in prestige films helmed by noted directors, but that appeared to be her first stop.
She had also shown that she could bounce from serious, dramatic work to screwball comedy, something she continues to this day. Last year's Long Shot saw her inject new life in the all-too-common role of the overworked woman who focuses only on her job, but she brought grace to an otherwise underwritten part.
The roles also have begun to reflect her politics, with Long Shot containing quite possibly the first post-#metoo sex scene that acknowledged the current landscape in Washington and Hollywood.
New York Magazine/Vulture took note of her worth early, in 2013 ranking her number 68 on the most valuable stars in Hollywood. They wrote, ""We're just happy that Theron can stay on the list in a year when she didn't come out with anything [...] any actress who's got that kind of skill, beauty, and ferocity ought to have a permanent place in Hollywood."