Born in South Africa, she moved to the United States to become a classical dancer. However, luck played a nasty trick on her, as she broke her knee shortly after arriving in the country. One day she went to a bank located on Hollywood Boulevard to cash a check that her mother had sent her so that she could pay the rent, and the teller refused to give her the money. While Theron was having a heated argument with the employee, John Crosby was standing behind her. He was a talent agent who, after the altercation, handed her his card.

After a long time of unsuccessful castings and playing supporting roles, Theron established a solid reputation on the big screen with her performance in The Devil’s Advocate, a film she starred in with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves, which was a box office success.