Everything Charlize Theron Has Said About Motherhood

Mar. 15, 2025

01of 14On How Her Life Has Changed Since Becoming a MotherCharlize Theron.Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock"Everything has changed! When I became a mother, I had already wanted it for a long time. I craved motherhood, and I was incredibly invested in it. It’s not easy to adopt, even when you’re a celebrity. But when I held my children in my arms, I was happier than I ever expected to be. Today, motherhood is a source of joy every single day, something stronger than everything else, more powerful than my career."— toEllein July 2016

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On How Her Life Has Changed Since Becoming a Mother

Charlize Theron.Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock

“Everything has changed! When I became a mother, I had already wanted it for a long time. I craved motherhood, and I was incredibly invested in it. It’s not easy to adopt, even when you’re a celebrity. But when I held my children in my arms, I was happier than I ever expected to be. Today, motherhood is a source of joy every single day, something stronger than everything else, more powerful than my career.”

— toEllein July 2016

02of 14On Adopting as a Single MotherMike Marsland/WireImage"It’s just the way things worked out. When you adopt, you have to do it unconditionally. I threw myself into the adoption process because I was convinced that I could fulfill the role of mother and give my children all the love and attention they need. No one aspires to become a single parent, but I learned a long time ago that you can’t control everything in life. I have adapted to the situation because I am pragmatic."— toEllein July 2016

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On Adopting as a Single Mother

Mike Marsland/WireImage

“It’s just the way things worked out. When you adopt, you have to do it unconditionally. I threw myself into the adoption process because I was convinced that I could fulfill the role of mother and give my children all the love and attention they need. No one aspires to become a single parent, but I learned a long time ago that you can’t control everything in life. I have adapted to the situation because I am pragmatic.”

03of 14On the Advice Her Own Mother Has Given HerSlaven Vlasic/Getty"I think every piece of advice has been really good from my mom. She’s like, ‘You know, what, tomorrow is going to be a new day. It’s not the end of the world.’ ““Sometimes I lose my mind especially in a car, like when we’re on a road trip or something, She’ll look at me and laugh … Then she’ll say, ‘It’s just a moment. It’s going to pass. It’s going to pass.’ “—toUs Weeklyin April 2018

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On the Advice Her Own Mother Has Given Her

Slaven Vlasic/Getty

“I think every piece of advice has been really good from my mom. She’s like, ‘You know, what, tomorrow is going to be a new day. It’s not the end of the world.’ "

“Sometimes I lose my mind especially in a car, like when we’re on a road trip or something, She’ll look at me and laugh … Then she’ll say, ‘It’s just a moment. It’s going to pass. It’s going to pass.’ "

—toUs Weeklyin April 2018

04of 14On Her Children’s IdentityTerence Patrick/CBS"I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive.““They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide.““My job as a parent is to celebrate them and to love them and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be what they want to be. And I will do everything in my power for my kids to have that right and to be protected within that."—toDaily Mailin April 2019

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On Her Children’s Identity

Terence Patrick/CBS

“I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive.”

“They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide.”

“My job as a parent is to celebrate them and to love them and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be what they want to be. And I will do everything in my power for my kids to have that right and to be protected within that.”

—toDaily Mailin April 2019

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On Mommy Shamers

Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty

“I remember so vividly a parent really shaming me for raising my kids — who are both adopted — on formula.”

—to NPRin April 2018

06of 14On Motherhood’s Unexpected ChallengesAndrew Lipovsky/NBC/Getty"I’m a single mom and I have an incredible village that helps me raise these two beautiful kids.““In the mornings I have them alone, and they kind of work against each other sometimes. One kind of decides to freak out, and then both decide to freak out. I don’t know why they decide to do that? You think they’d stand there and be considerate like: ‘Well, that one is freaking out right now, I’m not gonna freak out.’ They don’t do that."—to Ellen DeGeneresin April 2017

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On Motherhood’s Unexpected Challenges

Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/Getty

“I’m a single mom and I have an incredible village that helps me raise these two beautiful kids.”

“In the mornings I have them alone, and they kind of work against each other sometimes. One kind of decides to freak out, and then both decide to freak out. I don’t know why they decide to do that? You think they’d stand there and be considerate like: ‘Well, that one is freaking out right now, I’m not gonna freak out.’ They don’t do that.”

—to Ellen DeGeneresin April 2017

07of 14On Raising ‘Two Proud Black African Girls’Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for CinemaCon"I am raising two beautiful proud Black African girls and I want them to find themselves and not necessarily push my ancestry on them."—to Jimmy Fallonin May 2019

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On Raising ‘Two Proud Black African Girls’

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for CinemaCon

“I am raising two beautiful proud Black African girls and I want them to find themselves and not necessarily push my ancestry on them.”

—to Jimmy Fallonin May 2019

08of 14On Adoption Being Her First Choice"I never saw a difference in raising an adopted child versus my own biological child. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on something.This was always my first choice, even when I was in a relationship. I was very honest with my partners that I was open to having my own biological kids but that adoption had to be a part of my life. I felt that strongly about it."—to PEOPLEin May 2018

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On Adoption Being Her First Choice

“I never saw a difference in raising an adopted child versus my own biological child. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on something.This was always my first choice, even when I was in a relationship. I was very honest with my partners that I was open to having my own biological kids but that adoption had to be a part of my life. I felt that strongly about it.”

—to PEOPLEin May 2018

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Getty

“[Motherhood on social media is] this highly curated Instagram world of, ‘Which mom looks best in her bikini two hours after giving birth?’ I hate that that’s happened — everyone’s life looks cute when you throw a filter on it.”

—toUSA Todayin May 2018

10of 14On Dating as a MomJB Lacroix/Getty"Once I had my kids, the first two years you’re so — you turn into such a mom. Your body almost switches off. It’s like I had no desire to date or anything."— to Howard Stern in July 2017

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On Dating as a Mom

JB Lacroix/Getty

“Once I had my kids, the first two years you’re so — you turn into such a mom. Your body almost switches off. It’s like I had no desire to date or anything.”

— to Howard Stern in July 2017

11of 14On Being a Team"Me and my girls 4 life 💜”— on Instagramin August 2021

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On Being a Team

“Me and my girls 4 life 💜”— on Instagramin August 2021

12of 14On Who Has Her Heart"My heart belongs to these two beautiful powerhouses. I will never be the same."—on Instagramin September 2020

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On Who Has Her Heart

“My heart belongs to these two beautiful powerhouses. I will never be the same.”

—on Instagramin September 2020

13of 14On Involving Her Daughters in Social Justice IssuesJon Kopaloff/Getty Images"They were so wanting to be proactive in, ‘Mom, what do we do? How do we change this?’ And just their willingnessto make signs and to want to go protest, and they still have their signs in the car. And when they see protesters on the side of the road, they’ll say, ‘Mom, honk. Honk, Mom, honk.’ There’s a real sense of pride."— to PEOPLEin July 2020

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On Involving Her Daughters in Social Justice Issues

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

“They were so wanting to be proactive in, ‘Mom, what do we do? How do we change this?’ And just their willingnessto make signs and to want to go protest, and they still have their signs in the car. And when they see protesters on the side of the road, they’ll say, ‘Mom, honk. Honk, Mom, honk.’ There’s a real sense of pride.”

— to PEOPLEin July 2020

14of 14On Finding ‘Me Time’ as a Mom"You make it happen. And my kids are really nice [about it]. Sometimes I’ll say, ‘Mommy just needs a moment. Can I just have a moment?’ Then my little one will say, ‘Are you in a timeout?’ And I’ll say, ‘Yes, Mom is in a timeout. I need a second just to reflect on myself.’ “—to PEOPLEin July 2020

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On Finding ‘Me Time’ as a Mom

“You make it happen. And my kids are really nice [about it]. Sometimes I’ll say, ‘Mommy just needs a moment. Can I just have a moment?’ Then my little one will say, ‘Are you in a timeout?’ And I’ll say, ‘Yes, Mom is in a timeout. I need a second just to reflect on myself.’ "

—to PEOPLEin July 2020

source: people.com