Charlize Theron Once Shared Motherhood Made Her More Creative

Many actors find juggling motherhood with their busy careers as challenging as it is rewarding. Charlize Theron was once another new parent who was surprised to find how motherhood only benefitted her career.

Charlize Theron has always wanted to adopt children

Theron has been passionate about adoption when she was a child herself. The Oscar-winner recalled a moment where she even asked her mother to visit an orphanage.

“When I first filed [for adoption], my mom showed me a letter I’d written when I was little; I asked if we could go to the orphanage. In South Africa, orphanages were everywhere, and I wanted a brother or sister. I was always aware that there are so many children in this world who don’t have families,” she once told Chelsea Handler in an interview conducted for Elle.

Having biological children would also be something that Theron might be interested in. But the actor asserted it wasn’t necessarily a priority on raising children she’s adopted.

“I never saw a difference in raising an adopted child versus my own biological child,” she added. “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.”

Charlize Theron once shared having kids made her more creative in the film industry

Theron is well aware of how the careers of actors could shift after taking on the responsibilities of parenthood. According to Theron, some actors may even choose to avoid heavier, more sensitive content for the sake of their kids.

But Theron felt her children only fueled her creativity and inspired her to make even riskier career choices.

“I’ve heard people say that once they have children they don’t want to take on dark material anymore, but that hasn’t happened for me,” Theron once said in an interview with Hello (via Contact Music). “If anything, having a child makes me want to be more creative and ask bigger questions and have more interest in things that might be uncomfortable. We all have different responses, but for me, I didn’t look at my slate and go, ‘Oh God, I can’t do that movie now I have a kid.’ He just gives me energy to want to do more and explore more.”

Charlize Theron would have no problem giving up acting for her kids

Theron has led one of the most accomplished acting careers in Hollywood. But as passionate as she is about her onscreen legacy, her life as a mother will always take top priority. So much so that if she was given the ultimatum between picking her career and being a parent, it wouldn’t be a hard choice.

“I love being a mom more than I like being an actor or a producer. And I never thought I would say that. If somebody said to me tomorrow, ‘You can’t do both,’ would I be sad to give up acting? Of course. But it would be a no-brainer for me,” she recently said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.