Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Amber Raiken

Charlize Theron sparks debate for claiming that her first language, Afrikaans, is ‘dying’

Getty Images for Netflix

Charlize Theron has been facing some backlash for claiming that her first language, Afrikaans, is dying out.

The 47-year-old actor opened up about growing up in South Africa while appearing on Monday’s episode of the SmartLess podcast. After revealing that she didn’t begin speaking English fluently until the age of 19, when she moved to the United States, she noted that it was easy for her to “drop” her South-African “accent”.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.