As immigrant in US, Theron worked harder

Actress Charlize Theron, who was born in Benoni in the then-Transvaal Province (now Gauteng Province) of South Africa, says being an immigrant in the US encouraged her to work harder to make it in Hollywood.

The Academy Award-winning actress is currently one of Hollywood's most in-demand stars, but Theron says her original ambitions as a performer were much more modest, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"My dream was to pay my bills and not have to get a second job. I loved having the opportunities I got in acting, and I worked hard knowing that those opportunities could be fleeting," Theron told Total Film Magazine.

"I could be on a flight back to South Africa. I didn't have a family in the US; I didn't have a support system here. That drove me - I was responsible for myself, and I could not take anything for granted," she added.

The 42-year-old actress, known for her work in films like "Sweet November", "Monster" and "The Italian Job", said she has never been insecure in the industry.

"I have never felt that. This is common in actors. There are a few I've come across that have a very healthy ego about their status, but I do think this is an industry where there is such a constant turning of new talent.

"If you don't stay on your toes, challenge yourself, people won't want to work with you any more and people won't want to see your movies any more," she added.

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