Charlize Theron Opens Up About a 'Very Traumatic Experience' In Her Past

Charlize Theron is opening up about a tragedy in her past that helped her connect to her role in Dark Places.

When the 39-year-old actress was just 15 years old, her father Charles attacked her mother Gerda. Gerda shot Charles to death in an act of self defense. Charlize referenced this horrific incident in a recent interview with French television network TF1.

“I did experience a very traumatic experience, an event, in my life. And somehow it’s formed me,” Charlize said. “My character goes through this ordeal when she’s 8 years old, and it really is examining what trauma does to a child, especially when she’s expected to speak about it. And that’s definitely something I can relate to, that’s definitely something I’ve experienced in my life. As far as events go, they’re very similar. There’s a murder [in the film], while my situation was a very unfortunate incident with self-defense.”

In a past 2004 interview, Charlize also spoke about the incident, saying “I think, for me, it took a long time to sink in, what had really happened, because you just don’t think stuff like that will ever happen to you. You always think it happens to somebody else. It’s a part of me, but it doesn’t rule my life.”

Also pictured inside: Charlize running some errands on Wednesday (April 8) in Los Angeles.