"I like what I do, and I'm very fortunate now to be in a very nice place, which is that I don't have to work anymore. So the work that I do now is purely because I really want to"
About this Quote
The subtext is sharper than it first appears. Acting is often framed as passion masquerading as labor, a job you’re supposed to feel grateful for even when it’s punishing. By separating “work” (necessity, obligation, survival) from “the work that I do now” (desire, curiosity, control), she redraws the boundaries of artistic integrity. It’s an admission that freedom changes taste: when you’re no longer auditioning for rent, you can audition for meaning. And meaning, in Hollywood, is also power - the ability to refuse roles that flatten you, to pick projects that align with your politics, your body of work, your sense of self.
Context matters: Theron has leveraged blockbuster clout into riskier, often physically demanding parts and producing influence. This quote reads like the backstage version of that arc - not “I made it,” but “I bought time.” It resonates because most people can’t. She’s voicing an aspirational truth that’s usually kept discreet: creative purity is often financed, not discovered.
Quote Details
| Topic | Financial Freedom |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Theron, Charlize. (2026, February 16). I like what I do, and I'm very fortunate now to be in a very nice place, which is that I don't have to work anymore. So the work that I do now is purely because I really want to. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-like-what-i-do-and-im-very-fortunate-now-to-be-66047/
Chicago Style
Theron, Charlize. "I like what I do, and I'm very fortunate now to be in a very nice place, which is that I don't have to work anymore. So the work that I do now is purely because I really want to." FixQuotes. February 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-like-what-i-do-and-im-very-fortunate-now-to-be-66047/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I like what I do, and I'm very fortunate now to be in a very nice place, which is that I don't have to work anymore. So the work that I do now is purely because I really want to." FixQuotes, 16 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-like-what-i-do-and-im-very-fortunate-now-to-be-66047/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.






