What do you think?
Rate this book
Charlize: Life's One Helluva Ride
As a young girl Charlize Theron saw Darryl Hannah in Splash and she was convinced that she would make a better mermaid. Ever since, she has pursued her dream with single-minded obsession.
Prize-winning author Chris Karsten traces Charlize’s meteoric rise from a smallholding in South Africa to the pantheon of stars. Personal interviews with friends and family in South Africa and extensive research flesh out the life and career of this remarkable woman.
Judging from the first 33 years of her life as revealed in this part-biography, Charlize will indeed one day be able to look back on her life and say: “This has been one helluva ride”.
Prize-winning author Chris Karsten traces Charlize’s meteoric rise from a smallholding in South Africa to the pantheon of stars. Personal interviews with friends and family in South Africa and extensive research flesh out the life and career of this remarkable woman.
Judging from the first 33 years of her life as revealed in this part-biography, Charlize will indeed one day be able to look back on her life and say: “This has been one helluva ride”.
303 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Chris Karsten
33 books39 followersChris Karsten is op 9 November 1947 op Morgenzon in Mpumalanga gebore. Hy matrikuleer aan die Hoërskool Hoogenhout op Bethal en behaal ’n BA-graad met Afrikaans-Nederlands en Sielkunde aan die Universiteit van Pretoria (1970). Hy werk daarna as koerantjoernalis by Die Volksblad, Beeld en Rapport.
Chris is die skrywer van twee kinderboeke, Floris sapiens (1985) en Die jokkie wat met perde kon praat (1997). Hy ontvang die Sanlamprys vir jeuglektuur (silwer) vir Floris sapiens. Sy eerste roman, Frats, het in 2007 verskyn, en is ’n jaar later met die ATKV-prosaprys bekroon.
As koerantman was hy in verskillende joernalistieke hoedanighede gemoeid by baie van die stories wat in sy Ware Misdaad-reeks opgeneem is. Van die titels wat sedert 2007 in dié reeks verskyn het, sluit in Riller in die raaisel, Opspraak deur moord, Dodelike vroue, Verlore onskuld en Boos en bisar.
Sy boek oor aktrise Charlize Theron verskyn in Mei 2009 en is in Afrikaans (Charlize: Ek leef my droom) en Engels (Charlize: Life’s One Helluva Ride) beskikbaar. Chris se tweede roman, Seisoen van sonde, verskyn in Junie 2009 by Human & Rousseau.
Karsten woon in Kanada.
Chris is die skrywer van twee kinderboeke, Floris sapiens (1985) en Die jokkie wat met perde kon praat (1997). Hy ontvang die Sanlamprys vir jeuglektuur (silwer) vir Floris sapiens. Sy eerste roman, Frats, het in 2007 verskyn, en is ’n jaar later met die ATKV-prosaprys bekroon.
As koerantman was hy in verskillende joernalistieke hoedanighede gemoeid by baie van die stories wat in sy Ware Misdaad-reeks opgeneem is. Van die titels wat sedert 2007 in dié reeks verskyn het, sluit in Riller in die raaisel, Opspraak deur moord, Dodelike vroue, Verlore onskuld en Boos en bisar.
Sy boek oor aktrise Charlize Theron verskyn in Mei 2009 en is in Afrikaans (Charlize: Ek leef my droom) en Engels (Charlize: Life’s One Helluva Ride) beskikbaar. Chris se tweede roman, Seisoen van sonde, verskyn in Junie 2009 by Human & Rousseau.
Karsten woon in Kanada.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 26, 2015
Charlize Theron has been one of my favorite actresses since 1996's "That Thing You Do" as the too-cool-for-school girlfriend Tina Powers. She barely had 5 minutes of screen-time but I just sensed I would see more of her. This was only the beginning of a long and prosperous acting career for her. Today she still holds that title in my book with strong female characters in some of my favorite films of hers; North Country, Young Adult, Monster, and The Burning Plain. Aside from being a pretty face and not knowing her personally, I can sense she's a very caring and giving individual (her involvement with PETA, Human Rights, Aids in Africa, etc to name a few). Unlike most high-profiled celebrities she doesn't put everything out on the table in terms of her personal life, which she keeps very quiet and low-key. Reading this book (which seriously took me one day, I actually stayed up until 2am to finish it) I wanted some insight into this hilariously funny, wise-above-her-years South African girl from Benoni.
To put out a kind of disclaimer, Charlize Theron was not interviewed or had any contact with the author of this book. Chris Karsten pulled all of his information from media sources and interviews organizing his stealth of information into chapters that chronicle through her life (the most recent interviews from this book date 2008). He did interview some of her friends and her family members who still live in South Africa. A lot of interviews quoted in this book were ones I remembered from various magazines but may not always be reliable sources. There are a variety of colored photographs of Charlize in her youth and of her Theron family members (the resemblances are striking between her and some of her cousins). In the end I feel Chris Karsten's goal was to showcase the embodiment of work of a young girl who was a dreamer and how she put those fantasies in action in order to fullfill her dreams.
For those who are familiar with Charlize Theron you probably have read this song and dance several times before. Charlize was an only child born in Benoni, South Africa on a plot of land that she claimed was similiar to living on a farm. Her mother Gerda was German and her father Charles was French who owned a construction company. She was raised in the Afrikaans language and attended boarding school in her teens. She had a passion for ballet and Spanish dancing. Even though she was awkwardly tall, Charlize enjoyed being on stage because she loved to tell stories through dance. One tragic evening in June of 1991 her father came home drunk, threatening her and Gerda. Gerda shot her husband in self defense as he passed away that evening. Around this time Charlize was entered in a modeling competition by her mother and friends as a joke. She ended up winning a year-long modeling contract in Milan. She used the time away from South Africa as a way to move on with her life coping with the tragedy of her father. Charlize used the money from modeling to save up for professional ballet school. Tired of modeling, she moved to New York to attend the Joffrey School Ballet School. Unfortunately she blew her knee out and could not continue with her training. She was depressed and lived in a windowless basement at the time. It wasn't until her mother flew up to visit and asked, "Okay, so what are you going to do now?" Charlize wanted to try her hand at acting since she could no longer tell the stories she once held so dear through dance. Her mother, always believing in her daughter's dream bought her a one-way ticket to California. Studying the American accent and language she fervently watched American soap operas 24/7. She received her first small role in the straight-to-video Children of the Corn III, excited thinking she officially "made it" as an actress. Then she landed her first big role in 2 Days in the Valley with James Spader and Teri Hatcher. The rest is history.
My favorite part of this book is reading about her childhood in Benoni. Even though her father was very successful with his business and spoiled his only child, she never came off as snobby or better than anyone else. Her mother was very strict with her but also very loving wanting her special young daughter to find her way in the world. You could tell just by reading the letters young Charlize wrote to her Grandmother, a sense of wisdom beyond her years. She even looks older in some of her younger pictures. The tragic night her father dies still remains a mystery although the book includes the actual police reports and statements as to the events that occured. Charlize and her mother distanced themselves from their family in South Africa for unknown reasons although Charlize still flies down to visit and do her charity work. But, guessing from what I read, I feel it was due to her Grandmother's comment blaming Charlize for her father's / son's death. This couldn't be further from the truth in the sense that her being a teenager, having to use her Aunt's bathroom (probably urgently since they were locked out of their home) after a long day of a photoshoot and not greeting anyone in the house would spark such enragement from her father. Someone she looked up to so dearly as a child was now placing blame on her grandaughter for something out of her control. You'll have to read to find out what happened, that's just my opinion.
The book then captures her time living at the Farmer's Daughter motel (scraping by, getting crappy roles, and fighting for roles) up until her role as a producer in the movie Sleep Walking.
Despite all of the negative press Charlize received for certain film choices and the sting that the uglier she makes herself the more seriously people take her acting, she simply shrugs her shoulders and seems unfazed by this. As long as she enjoys what she is doing, who cares?
Charlize Theron is an inspiration for me not only for her kindheartedness towards others but her fierce determination and dedication to her craft. She's the kind of girl you could hang with over drinks and have a genuinely good time with if you were having a shitty day, she'd cheer you up. When I'm in a pickle over how to dress I sometimes laugh and ask myself, "What would Charlize wear?" because she has a knack for fashion coming across as simple, elegant, and classy. In terms of her heritage and upbringing she has put South Africa on the map for me, making it a place of interest I'd love to go visit sometime. I also picked up a few words in Afrikaans as well from her interviews. Her story goes to show how the stars really aligned in her favor being such an exceptionally extraordinary child but having that work in favor of pursuing her dreams (the note she writes to her elementary school at age 16 is just mind-blowing. You would think it's written by a Harvard Alum giving life lessons to the future generations). What's really interesting is Charlize didn't come from having family members in the business, networking, or exposing herself on reality tv. Charlize paved her way on her own without taking anything for granted. Her goal is to just enjoy life and live in the moment. I think more celebrities need to sit back and take notes.
To put out a kind of disclaimer, Charlize Theron was not interviewed or had any contact with the author of this book. Chris Karsten pulled all of his information from media sources and interviews organizing his stealth of information into chapters that chronicle through her life (the most recent interviews from this book date 2008). He did interview some of her friends and her family members who still live in South Africa. A lot of interviews quoted in this book were ones I remembered from various magazines but may not always be reliable sources. There are a variety of colored photographs of Charlize in her youth and of her Theron family members (the resemblances are striking between her and some of her cousins). In the end I feel Chris Karsten's goal was to showcase the embodiment of work of a young girl who was a dreamer and how she put those fantasies in action in order to fullfill her dreams.
For those who are familiar with Charlize Theron you probably have read this song and dance several times before. Charlize was an only child born in Benoni, South Africa on a plot of land that she claimed was similiar to living on a farm. Her mother Gerda was German and her father Charles was French who owned a construction company. She was raised in the Afrikaans language and attended boarding school in her teens. She had a passion for ballet and Spanish dancing. Even though she was awkwardly tall, Charlize enjoyed being on stage because she loved to tell stories through dance. One tragic evening in June of 1991 her father came home drunk, threatening her and Gerda. Gerda shot her husband in self defense as he passed away that evening. Around this time Charlize was entered in a modeling competition by her mother and friends as a joke. She ended up winning a year-long modeling contract in Milan. She used the time away from South Africa as a way to move on with her life coping with the tragedy of her father. Charlize used the money from modeling to save up for professional ballet school. Tired of modeling, she moved to New York to attend the Joffrey School Ballet School. Unfortunately she blew her knee out and could not continue with her training. She was depressed and lived in a windowless basement at the time. It wasn't until her mother flew up to visit and asked, "Okay, so what are you going to do now?" Charlize wanted to try her hand at acting since she could no longer tell the stories she once held so dear through dance. Her mother, always believing in her daughter's dream bought her a one-way ticket to California. Studying the American accent and language she fervently watched American soap operas 24/7. She received her first small role in the straight-to-video Children of the Corn III, excited thinking she officially "made it" as an actress. Then she landed her first big role in 2 Days in the Valley with James Spader and Teri Hatcher. The rest is history.
My favorite part of this book is reading about her childhood in Benoni. Even though her father was very successful with his business and spoiled his only child, she never came off as snobby or better than anyone else. Her mother was very strict with her but also very loving wanting her special young daughter to find her way in the world. You could tell just by reading the letters young Charlize wrote to her Grandmother, a sense of wisdom beyond her years. She even looks older in some of her younger pictures. The tragic night her father dies still remains a mystery although the book includes the actual police reports and statements as to the events that occured. Charlize and her mother distanced themselves from their family in South Africa for unknown reasons although Charlize still flies down to visit and do her charity work. But, guessing from what I read, I feel it was due to her Grandmother's comment blaming Charlize for her father's / son's death. This couldn't be further from the truth in the sense that her being a teenager, having to use her Aunt's bathroom (probably urgently since they were locked out of their home) after a long day of a photoshoot and not greeting anyone in the house would spark such enragement from her father. Someone she looked up to so dearly as a child was now placing blame on her grandaughter for something out of her control. You'll have to read to find out what happened, that's just my opinion.
The book then captures her time living at the Farmer's Daughter motel (scraping by, getting crappy roles, and fighting for roles) up until her role as a producer in the movie Sleep Walking.
Despite all of the negative press Charlize received for certain film choices and the sting that the uglier she makes herself the more seriously people take her acting, she simply shrugs her shoulders and seems unfazed by this. As long as she enjoys what she is doing, who cares?
Charlize Theron is an inspiration for me not only for her kindheartedness towards others but her fierce determination and dedication to her craft. She's the kind of girl you could hang with over drinks and have a genuinely good time with if you were having a shitty day, she'd cheer you up. When I'm in a pickle over how to dress I sometimes laugh and ask myself, "What would Charlize wear?" because she has a knack for fashion coming across as simple, elegant, and classy. In terms of her heritage and upbringing she has put South Africa on the map for me, making it a place of interest I'd love to go visit sometime. I also picked up a few words in Afrikaans as well from her interviews. Her story goes to show how the stars really aligned in her favor being such an exceptionally extraordinary child but having that work in favor of pursuing her dreams (the note she writes to her elementary school at age 16 is just mind-blowing. You would think it's written by a Harvard Alum giving life lessons to the future generations). What's really interesting is Charlize didn't come from having family members in the business, networking, or exposing herself on reality tv. Charlize paved her way on her own without taking anything for granted. Her goal is to just enjoy life and live in the moment. I think more celebrities need to sit back and take notes.
Displaying 1 of 1 review