Charlize Theron suffered a meltdown when her dreams of becoming a prima ballerina were shattered, until her mother encouraged her to try acting. The local beauty trained as a ballet dancer in New York City but a knee injury at 19 ruined any chance she had of turning her passion into a career. And now the Oscar winner has heaped praise on her mother for helping her out of her slump and launching her Hollywood career.
 
She tells the U.K. version of OK! magazine, "I remember at night, at like two in the morning, with my mom in the City in a basement on, like, 21st Street, crying my eyes out and eating four pints of ice cream because I couldn’t dance anymore, and my mom saying ‘Well, why don’t you try acting?’ I mean... because of some crazy moment at 2am with Haagen-Dazs, I’m standing on a red carpet today."
 
The actress has gone on to star in a number of hit films and even won a deserved Academy Award for her performance in 2003's Monster, but insists she doesn't plan too far into the future.
 
She adds, "I try to live every day like tomorrow might not come. Not that I succeed at that every day, but I try to think that way and not too far ahead."
 
We love our Charlz!

Photos: Elite