Charlize Theron defies beauty norms, embraces aging, challenges cosmetic trends

Charlize Theron, at 48 years old, confronts the perception that she's undergone cosmetic procedures to defy aging. 

During an interview with Allure published on Friday, the acclaimed actress stated that people have speculated about her having a facelift. She humorously responded, “They’re like, ‘What did she do to her face?’ I’m like, ‘Bitch, I’m just aging! It doesn’t mean I got bad plastic surgery. This is just what happens.'”

Renowned for her role in "Fast X," Theron, who entered Hollywood in the late 1990s, openly embraces her evolving appearance and refuses to succumb to societal pressure to retain eternal youthfulness. She expressed her contentment with her natural transformation, asserting, "My face is changing, and I love that my face is changing and aging."

Theron criticized the gender-based double standard that "men kind of age like fine wines and women like cut flowers." She condemned this concept, remarking, "I despise that concept and I want to fight against it." She also acknowledged, “But I also think women want to age in a way that feels right to them. I think we need to be a little bit more empathetic to how we all go through our journey.”

The accomplished "Atomic Blonde" star declared her decision to no longer undergo radical physical transformations for film roles. Reflecting on her past experiences, she vowed, "I will never, ever do a movie again and say, ‘Yeah, I’ll gain 40 pounds.’ I will never do it again because you can’t take it off." 

Theron recounted her earlier role in "Monster" at 27, where she rapidly lost 30 pounds. However, the same approach didn't yield the desired results when she gained weight at 43 for her 2018 role in "Tully."

Theron expressed her frustration at the slower healing process as she ages. Known for performing her own stunts in action-packed films, she revealed, “The thing that really bums me out is that I make action movies now and if I hurt myself, I take way longer to heal than I did in my 20s.”

While she humorously wishes for her youthful body, she's aware of the physical limitations that come with age.

Joining Theron, Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow have also recently discussed aging under the public eye and challenging prevailing beauty standards.