Charlize Theron joined host Drew Barrymore and a slew of Hollywood stars at the 24th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, where she spoke to Access Hollywood about her strong feelings concerning the LGBT community’s fight for marriage equality.
The actress, who hails from South Africa, is still stunned that the United States does allow marriage for all couples.
“To leave South Africa, where gays and lesbians had the right to get married and had all the same – it was an equality for everybody – to come to America, this great country, and to hear about the gays and lesbians couldn’t get married was something very odd to me,” she told Access’ Shaun Robinson on Saturday night.
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“I have to speak up,” she continued. “I mean this [lack of equality] is so caveman.”
The 37-year-old star believes the fight is similar to another historic time in America’s history.
“We look back at the Civil Rights movement and we wonder, how did that happen?” she told Shaun. “It’s time for us to step up to the plate and realize this is old thinking.”
Charlize is optimistic and cautious about the road ahead.
WATCH: Charlize Theron Discuss Gay Righs & Marriage Equality At GLAAD Media Awards
“We still have a ways to go and were not going to stop and until it’s fair for everybody to enjoy the horrors of marriage,” the Oscar winner joked.
Adding, “I always joke with all of my friends – my heterosexual friends whose marriages don’t work out – I’m like, ‘Well, if you guys were gay, it probably would’ve worked out!’”
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