Charlize Theron Claps Back at Plastic-Surgery Rumors: "B*tch, I'm Just Aging"

Charlize Theron is embracing her natural beauty. Speaking candidly about her experience as a woman over 40 in Hollywood, the actor responded to rumors that she's had plastic surgery — more specifically, a facelift. "My face is changing, and I love that my face is changing and aging . . . People think I had a facelift," she told Allure in a recent interview. "They're like, 'What did she do to her face?' I'm like, 'B*tch, I'm just aging!' It doesn't mean I got bad plastic surgery. This is just what happens."

As an actor whose personal life is largely subject to the spotlight, Theron has learned to take fans' criticisms of her appearance in stride. Still, in the face of unrealistic beauty standards set forth by decades of Hollywood stars and execs before her, the actor is issuing an important reminder that aging is natural. "I've always had issues with the fact that men kind of age like fine wines and women like cut flowers," she said. "I despise that concept and I want to fight against it, but I also think women want to age in a way that feels right to them. I think we need to be a little bit more empathetic to how we all go through our journey."

Aging is more than just a TikTok filter. In reality, it manifests in the form of wrinkles, smile lines, changing skin texture, blotchiness, uneven skin tones, skin dullness, and visible pores. Many celebrities and internet users alike make concerted efforts to delay these effects, often using complex serums, Botox injections, laser procedures, or microneedling to achieve their goals. It seems that Theron, though, is keeping her distance from anti-aging treatments for the foreseeable future.