9 Milestones in the Evolution of Charlize Theron

Arrested Development (2005)

In 2005, Theron reached a significant milestone in her career -- her first television role (not counting TV movies) and her first legitimate comedic character. Sure, she had previously co-starred in two Woody Allen films (Celebrity, where she played a "polymorphously perverse" model and The Curse of the Jade Scorpion), but this was the first role that was intended to be funny and actually succeeded in making viewers laugh. As Rita Leeds, the beautiful Brit to whom Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) proposes before learning that she is mentally handicapped, Theron impressed Arrested Development's audience with this departure from her dramatic norm and laid the foundation for her turn in this weekend's dark-ish comedy Young Adult.

Aeon Flux (2005)

That same year, after earning more rave reviews for her work in North Country -- a fictionalized spin on the first major successful sexual harassment case in the U.S. -- Theron also became one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood with Æon Flux, her first sci-fi action film, which reportedly earned the Oscar winner a $10 million paycheck. Loosely adapted from the animated series of the same name, the Karyn Kusama film stars Theron as a mysterious raven-tressed assassin in the post-apocalyptic future. Unfortunately, the film was deemed a financial bomb when it failed to earn more than its $62 million budget worldwide.

Hancock (2008)

A year after starring with Tommy Lee Jones in Paul Haggis's crime drama In the Valley of Elah, Theron took part in the most lucrative project of her career, Hancock. The Peter Berg superhero film stars Will Smith as an alcoholic with superpowers, Jason Bateman as a PR spokesperson and Theron as his superpower-blessed wife. Although it only received mixed reviews from critics, it grossed over $600 million worldwide.

Young Adult (2011)

Following her first foray in feature narration with Astro Boy, Theron returns to live action this weekend in the Diablo Cody-written, Jason Reitman-directed Young Adult. As a dissatisfied former "it girl," Theron's teen lit author returns home to rekindle her romance with her happily married high school sweetheart. Here, Theron juggles her dramatic abilities with an award-winning glare and killer punchlines for her first leading role in a dark comedy. It's a lovely milestone for the Oscar-winning actress -- one that will hopefully be followed by many more.

Pages: 1 2