South African stunner Charlize Theron was beaming with pleasure when she turned out for the premiere of her new film, Monster in Los Angeles. Accompanied by her Irish beau Stewart Townsend, she smiled broadly for photographers as the couple arrived on the red carpet.
The actress' hard-hitting performance in the flick is anything but joyous, however. In the drama she plays Aileen Wuornos, the infamous serial killer who was executed last year.
Charlize has been tipped for an Oscar nomination thanks to her work on the gritty drama, which also features Christina Ricci and Bruce Dern. The 28-year-old stacked on 30lbs to play the role, and her reverse makeover included false teeth and fake eyelids to make her look run down.
"Playing Aileen was hands down the most challenging and rewarding thing I've done," admitted the actress after filming wrapped. Critics are describing her performance, undoubtedly her toughest to date, as a revelation. And it sounds as though things are going from strength to strength in her personal life too, as she is planning to wed her actor boyfriend next year.
"When I first met Stuart, I was like, 'I'm never going to get married - who needs a piece of paper?'," reveals the former model. "But Stuart has made me see that there's something really beautiful about an occasion where you say out loud in front of people close to you, 'I want to be with this man for the rest of my life'."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
