20 Things You Didn't Know About Charlize Theron
18. Ballet Didn't Work Out
Though she officially began her modeling career at 16 with a one-year contract in Salerno, Theron always saw herself as a dancer - in her youth she performed in The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. But there was little need for a ballet dancer or a young actress in South Africa. After modelling all through Europe, she settled in New York City to pursue ballet, studying at the Joffrey School.
But it was not to be. Theron badly injured her knees early on, and she spent a cold New York winter broke and alone undergoing a massive depression. This would be the second time her mother acted as saviour, arriving from home to give her a blunt pep talk.
"Either you figure out what to do next or you come home, because you can sulk in South Africa," said Gerda.
In 1994, her mother bought her a one-way ticket to Los Angeles, hoping to work in the film industry.