Charlize Theron says giving up her acting career for her children would be a ‘no-brainer’

‘Monster’ star spoke about her acting career and how Kim Kardashian might have more pull in the industry than Meryl Streep

Movie star Charlize Theron admitted in a recent interview that she’d give up acting for her children if she ever needed to.

Theron, 47, is mother to two adopted daughters, Jackson and August. The “Mad Max: Fury Road” star opened up about her decision to “participate” in her own life after a journalist asked her why doing stuff for herself is important to her.

For context, Theron has lived in the same home for 30 years and hires no staff to help with upkeep.

“It’s my life, and I want to participate in it,” Theron explained in the interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “One thing that early tragedy brought me is the realization that you don’t have forever. You just don’t. And it’s easy to be like, ‘Oh, it’s one movie,’ but then it’s another movie and another. And I don’t want to sound like I’m carrying some message on my sleeve, but I do think for women, we worry [that] if we don’t work harder and we don’t keep pushing, we will never quite arrive. And it is exhausting. I never feel like, ‘Oh, I can just f–king enjoy this.'”

But you do get more perspective as you get older, and, at almost 50, it does get easier. And my kids help. 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.”

Theron always knew she would become a mother through adoption. The actress grew up in apartheid South Africa and was exposed at a young age to orphanages and children in need of family.

“Even when I was in relationships, I was always honest with my partners that adoption was how my family would look one day,” she previously told People magazine. “This was definitely not a second option for me. It was always my first.”

Theron moved to America when she was 16 years old after winning a modeling contest. However, she eventually transitioned into acting and later producing films.

“Hard work has been so instilled in me,” Theron told The Hollywood Reporter. “I think it’s why I always had somewhat of a problem with modeling. There was no hard work, and I don’t mean that in an offensive way to the great models out there, but there’s a part of me that likes a bit more backbreaking.”

Movie star Charlize Theron admitted in a recent interview that she’d give up acting for her children if she ever needed to.

Theron has been behind “Mindhunter,” “Bombshell,” “The Old Guard” and more, but these days she isn’t so sure her fame can help other people get behind her vision for films.

“The market is really different today, and the fame that worked 20 years ago, the fame that was cash in the bank, is different now. We are living in a time of reality television, and God knows I love me some reality TV. So, the marketplace of what Kim Kardashian represents – and not in a negative way because I watch everything that she does – has way more value than what Meryl Streep, one of the greatest actresses working, does. And that’s just the truth,” Theron said. “They have very different skills, but if you were Kim Kardashian, you’d probably get way more off the ground.”

Charlize Theron noted that Kim Kardashian, left, might have more pull in the industry than someone like Meryl Streep, right.

This isn’t the first time Theron has put a concept in her head into perspective using Kardashian as an example. The “Monster” star previously told Harper’s Bazaar that she’s never been as famous as the reality TV star in her 25-year career.

“I feel like I’m at a place where it is what it is,” she told the outlet. “Working more isn’t, I think, going to change my level of fame. It just has always been a mediocre ride. I’ve never been one of those people that’s at a Kim Kardashian level. But I feel like it’s just always been this thing.”

Charlize Theron speaks at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 17, 2018.