Charlize Theron Opens Up About Starting To 'Slow Down' Ahead Of Her 50th Birthday

Charlize Theron is climbing the fifth ladder with so much clarity!

The "Old Guard" actress is approaching a milestone age, and for her, many things have changed, including the pace of life around her and within her.

Charlize Theron has enjoyed a thriving career in Hollywood, and in her personal life, she is a doting mother to two kids whom she adopted in 2012 and 2015, respectively.

The actress admitted during an interview that life at the edge of 50 does not seem so bad. According to her, time has started to slow down since she started aging. In her words:

"I feel like time has actually really started to slow down the older I get. In my 20s, it was going so fast, and I was in such a rush, and now I feel like I'm not."

The actress quickly added that while she is at peace with her current pace, she is still accelerating in other areas of her life, especially as a parent and an award-winning filmmaker.

Despite this dual perspective, Theron declared that she is unfazed about "time running out." If anything, the actress feels like her 40s opened the door for her to "have a better understanding of balance," and she is carrying that into her 50s.

Of course, she is not yet a master at her new turf; Theron noted to PEOPLE that she still struggles with that balance, but the most important thing is that she does not "fight it as much anymore" and can still enjoy life.

The 49-year-old teamed up with director Victoria Mahoney for the second part of "Old Guard." It follows her character, Andy, who reunites with her team of "immortal warriors" with reinvigorated purpose and a fiercer mission to protect the world.

The first part of the movie showcased Andy and her crew welcoming a marine immortal, Nile, into their fold.

The actress will be appearing alongside Kiki Layne who plays the character Nile, Matthias Schoenaert, Vân Venorica, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Uma Thurman and Henry Golding, Marwan Kenzari, and Luca Marinelli.

Golding praised the actress' enviable work ethic at the L.A. premiere of the movie. He applauded her for always taking the initiative and setting a positive tone for everyone on set. Tagging her a unicorn, Golding added:

"She's on set first thing in the morning, last at night, and she's creating what she wants and she's in there with the action; she's in there with the choreography."

Theron's new movie will be available on Netflix starting Wednesday, July 2, 2025, where viewers can see her bring her A-game.

While chatting with Seth Meyers on the "Late Night with Seth Meyers" show, Theron revealed a humorous side to her life with two daughters. She recalled a point where they could not fathom a major makeover she had to undergo for her role in "The Old Guard 2."

Theron shared that her daughter became emotional at the sight of her rocking a mullet instead of the longer hair they were used to seeing. She described her young kids as very feminine: "They think of me as a princess, and they want mom to, like, look like a princess."

She described them being shocked to their bones when they walked in on her halfway through her new haircut. "And one started crying. One literally started bawling her eyes out," the actress revealed.

The actress saw the moment as an opportunity to teach her kids the importance of freedom and the value of letting people be themselves.

The star has never concealed her desire for a big family, and she began the journey when she adopted her first daughter, Jackson Theron, in 2012, followed by her second, August Theron, in 2015.

Theron admitted to PEOPLE that adoption had always been at the top of her priority list, and her South African roots inspired it. She reportedly witnessed life in orphanages and saw children without access to basic amenities while growing up.

She also maintained the same honesty with her romantic partners on how adoption was the way for her to start a family. "This was definitely not a second option for me. It was always my first," Theron emphasized.

She is also determined to make her children realize and recognize their potential as confident and smart little ones.

Golding's words about Theron offer a refreshing insight into the actress's conduct on set and her enduring presence in the field. 

Three years ago, The Blast reported that the actress detailed how a negative experience with a filmmaker on set prompted her to establish her own movie company, aiming to make female actors feel safe on set.

The actress recalled the male director's attempt to make her look seductive to viewers and sell her sensuality. She detailed how he ordered several fitting sessions to get her into a zone, which she found "belittling."

"Having absolutely no control over what you're wearing is a big one that really f-cking annoyed me for years," Theron explained. The producer then took the pain from that experience and started her production company, "Denver & Delilah."

"There's a natural fight in me to want to create environments [on set] that feel like the things that I wish I had 30 years ago," declared the actress, justifying her reason for launching the company.

Charlize Theron continues to age like fine wine; cheers to 50!