Charlize Theron reveals she was ‘verbally abused for 15 hours’ by a photographer on a shoot and another ‘aggressively put his hands on her’ as she poses for pared-back snaps

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Charlize Theron shared in a recent interview that a photographer subjected her to 15 hours of verbal abuse during a photoshoot, recounting difficult experiences from her career.

I was so excited to see the new photos of her in AnOther Magazine! She’s 50 and looks incredible. In the accompanying interview, she talked about her very first jobs – she actually started out as a model in Los Angeles, which I found fascinating. It’s amazing to hear how she got her start.

Charlize Theron shared that before becoming a Hollywood star, she experienced a terrible photoshoot where the photographer mistreated her.

She recalled instances from her time on set, working with directors, or during auditions, pointing out things that wouldn’t be acceptable by today’s standards.

Before acting, I used to work as a model. I recently told my daughters about a difficult experience I had on a photoshoot. I remember a photographer yelling and verbally abusing me for around fifteen hours, and it made me feel completely dehumanized.

It continues to be a problem. Just recently, a photographer I was working with repeatedly approached me and touched me without my consent, even tying my shirt. I finally had to speak up about it.

Charlize Theron is famous for her acting, but she’s also produced movies, such as the 2017 film Atomic Blonde.

She explained her reasons for becoming a producer, saying that when she began 25 years ago, actors weren’t considered credible in that role.

They received funding, which was great, but what really interested me was the filmmaking process itself – how everything comes together to actually make a movie.

I always loved being around everyone on set. I’ve never been the type of actor to hide in my trailer and then reappear when needed – and I still feel that way. Honestly, I really dislike trailers.

For the magazine’s photoshoot, Charlize traded her typical glamorous style for simpler, more natural looks inspired by vintage films.

While the star has impressed with her ageless appearances, she has denied having plastic surgery.

In a 2023 interview with Allure, she explained that she’s embracing the natural aging process and challenging the expectation that women should always try to look young.

‘My face is changing, and I love that my face is changing and aging,’ she told the outlet.

People keep assuming I’ve had a facelift, and they ask me what I’ve done to my face. I tell them I’m just getting older! It doesn’t mean I’ve had work done; it’s just a natural part of aging.

This follows Charlize Theron’s announcement that she won’t be revealing the identity of the Hollywood director she accused of sexual harassment.

The actress explained on the Call Her Daddy podcast why she hadn’t named the director who asked her to go to his house late at night for her very first audition, six years after she first shared the story.

She claimed during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show that the director answered the door wearing pajamas and briefly touched her knee.

She remembered feeling conflicted early in her career. One part of her immediately knew something wasn’t right, but another part hesitated, wondering if she was mistaken.

In a conversation with Alex Cooper, the Academy Award-winning actress revealed that the director contacted her directly about the 1994 event.

I’ve been following this story closely, and honestly, I’ve never even mentioned the guy’s name. It’s not that I’m trying to shield him, but for a while there, he seemed really shaken up. I’m more interested in the overall situation than in making him the focus, so I just haven’t felt the need to bring him into it.

Theron explained that the director became uncomfortable when she shared her experience because he realized the story was about him. He responded by writing her a letter attempting to justify his actions and claiming she had misinterpreted things, which she found typical behavior.

She believes her interview with Stern caused the unnamed director to start ‘panicking.’

She explained to the audience that he had been waiting for her, and then added, with strong emotion, that she wouldn’t even mention his name because she considered him a terrible person. She stated he was aware of her feelings and that she would always be truthful if anyone asked about him.

The mother of two said she enjoyed watching him be challenged and that he’s always kept guessing about what will happen next.

‘I kind of like that a little more,’ she teased.

After what happened, Theron admitted she was very angry with herself and disappointed in her own actions.

‘I was like, “Who the f**k are you? Why the f**k would you allow that? Why?”’ she remembered.

She explained that it still deeply upsets her when people, especially those who seem comfortable and privileged, casually suggest she should have spoken up sooner. It’s incredibly hurtful to hear them say things like, ‘You should have said something 20 years ago,’ because it shows a lack of empathy and a refusal to understand the situation. Ultimately, it’s about their unwillingness to truly acknowledge what happened.

The actress drew a comparison between questioning victims about delays in reporting incidents and using a highly offensive, derogatory slur. She argued that both situations involve blaming the person who experienced harm.

In the end, she made it clear she wasn’t bothered by what others thought, because she believed no one could cause her more pain than she already felt from what had happened that day.

Theron explained that sharing these kinds of stories helps people realize they aren’t isolated in their experiences. She was speaking to Cooper, who recently publicly accused her former soccer coach of sexual harassment in a documentary series.

Read the full interview in AnOther Magazine, on sale now. 

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2026-02-19 20:04