Mbeki congratulates Charlize
2004-03-01 08:17
Johannesburg - President Thabo Mbeki has congratulated Oscar winner and local Benoni girl Charlize Theron who won the best actress Oscar on Sunday for her dramatic transformation into a murderous prostitute in Monster.
President Mbeki said in a statement shortly after the announcement at the 76th Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles: "South Africa has done it again, the Nobel prize for peace, Nobel for literature and now an Oscar for best actress.
"Theron has proved that we as a nation can produce the best in the world."
The Benoni beauty earned her first Academy Award after packing on 13.6kg and rendering herself almost unrecognisable to tackle the gritty role of now executed serial killer Aileen Wuornos.
"This has been such an incredible year," she said, choking back tears. She thanked her co-star, Christina Ricci, calling her "truly the unsung hero of this film."
"I know everyone is New Zealand's been thanked," she said, joking of the 10 wins for Lord of the Rings, "so I'm going to thank everyone in South Africa, my home country."
- SAPA