Show Y MOM AND I STILL LAUGH about how dueless we both were about Hollywood” said Chariize Theron “I grew up in a society in rural South Africa that didn’t havemovie reviews or international magazines Neither of us even knew that Hollywood was in Los Angeles We’ve been chal- lenged in some pretty harsh circumstances to get to this place But we’re both survivors And I feel extremely blessed” Moments earlier in a hallway of Manhattan’s Regency Hotel Theron had made a commotion as ihe called her mother Gerda in Los Angeles to blurt some news in theirna-truAfrikaans: At 2$ Theron had just recewed a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for her harrowing performance ' as reaUife serial killer Aileen Wntnos in the independent film Mnufer TV news crews in the lobby were murmuring about “Oscar buzz” After nine years onscreen two dozen films and a hisoxy of narrowly missing our on juicy careermaking parts (including lead ides in both Sweet Home Alabama and Chariize Theron is eiqoyingher greatest critical acclaim On this morning she cannot contain a big ceaseless grin Dressed in a cropped blade swearer and miaomini teetering on black stilettos Theron looks every inch the fbcmer model of whom casting direaxxs have complained “She's too pretty” She is far fiotn pcetty and nearly unrecognizable onscreen in Monster Theron gained 30 pounds viciously distressed her hair and complexion and wore dental prostheses to effect e Gbias-gp- ) : 'fcWllWHjt MKMHsrafi JL ' £&- - 7 Wuomos1 overbite Before filming she researched Wuomos’ sad brutal life—ftom childhood abuse to prostitution the murders ofat least six "johns? and her 2002 execution in Hor-idVkriefy called Theron’s effort aMonder career mowe? She prefers to call it pan of a "long tough journey”—an expression the actress uses often Just how did a tall bony girl who once deaned duck dropping? out of the firm pond in Benoni South Africa arrive at today’s breathless moment? “I can’t explain my journey without celling my mother’s ' story says this only child “We’re too much of a team Whatever I decided to do in life a Sit 4t!'t ?tv '’ V-- ij had to struggle-b- ut not with She watched mother me grow my newer the she with hark things up she for never resented me and it” Gerda came of age in a very difuth ferent society Theron Africa in die late ’60s "My mom met my dad when she was very' yoixig and went through the expected I’ve says-So- social evenc You’re 18 you become a wife She couldn’t just do that so die got involved in my dad’s business” Chariize named for her Rench father Charles was bom m August 1975 The family lived on a work- ing farm outside Johannesburg ' COVER AND PORTRAIT ABOVE BY RORERT ASCROFT FOR PARADE PAM 4 February 1 2004 PAtADf s |