Charlize Theron for 'Los Angeles Confidential' Magazine December 2011

Charlize Theron is back with a new movie and into the spotlight where she belongs. Here she is gracing the cover of 'Los Angeles Confidential' magazine, December 2011. More below.

On her work ethic: “There’s a great tenacity when I tackle something, and I don’t half ass anything. When I work, I work really, really hard. And I think that - combined with the people who believe in me - has been really a great blessing. You choose the life you want for yourself, and then you just shut up and go about it. That’s how I’ve lived my life.”

On her career longevity: “I don’t know if I feel I’m here to stay, but that’s a good thing. That keeps you on your toes. I think this is an industry where you can’t get too comfortable. It’s constantly churning with great talent, and you’ve got to raise the bar and try to push yourself. I don’t ever want to kind of feel, ‘Yeah, I’m here. I made it.’ I think that would probably be the time to retire.”

On her adolescence: “I grew up quickly,” she says, recalling leaving her parents’ South African farm to attend the School of Performing Arts in Johannesburg. “It doesn’t matter where you go to school, there’s always the popular girl, but we didn’t really have the prom queen and prom king, and all of that stuff. There were different pressures. I went to a pretty strict art school—it was really conservative. You had to get on your knees so the teachers could make sure your school uniform was below your knees. It was not as relaxed as I think schools are in America. I definitely grew up a lot faster than some of my friends did.”

Courtesy of Los Angeles Confidential

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