Charlize Theron Makes Rare, Revealing Comments About Her Two "Empathetic" Daughters

"I'm getting my ass handed to me."

The Gist

• Charlize Theron made rare, revealing comments about her two daughters, Jackson, 12, and August, 9, at the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project 2025 Block Party.
• She said she and her kids have both "great moments" and "real struggles."
• She described her daughters as "incredibly empathetic" and spoke about their involvement with her organization.

To the globe, Charlize Theron is an Academy Award-winning star, one of the highest-paid actresses in the world, and one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people. But, to her two daughters, she is just mom. In a new interview, Theron got candid about life with her kids and how her parenting style has evolved over the years.

The Mad Max actress opened up about her children, Jackson, 12, and August, 9, to People at the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project 2025 Block Party.

"I'm getting my ass handed to me," she joked. "And by the way, that's teenagers. I know I'm not the only one. It's a house full of women. And we have great moments, and we also have real struggles."

The 49-year-old reflected on her daughters' involvement in her organization, explaining that she hopes it teaches them the value of giving back. She noted that they are "incredibly empathetic kids."

"Of course I want my kids to have an awareness of the world outside their bubble, and they do," Theron said. "They see the issues that we face here in L.A. "They hear me talk about the issues facing South Africa. They do have an affinity for South Africa, because I'm from there. But I do think that they're good people."

Theron also spoke to how, in the organization's work, they've had to pivot over the years. They've dedicated themselves to issues including HIV and AIDS prevention and the environment.

Theron entered motherhood back in 2012 when she adopted Jackson. Three years later, she expanded her family by one with the adoption of August. The actress's decision to adopt was inspired by her upbringing in South Africa, as she was exposed to orphanages and children in need in her community.

"Even when I was in relationships, I was always honest with my partners, that adoption was how my family would look one day," Theron told People back in 2018. "This was definitely not a second option for me. It was always my first."