Theron turned off marriage by parents

Charlize Theron has said that she will never marry because of her parents' violent relationship.

The actress's mother shot her abusive father when she was 15 and living on a small farm in South Africa

Commenting on the incident, Theron told Elle: "I believe in love but I don't believe in marriage.

"I saw my mother unhappy every day. What happened with my father was extreme, but my mother and I couldn't let it determine the rest of our lives.

"Back then if a woman was unhappy, she just had to put up with it. As a kid I didn't dream about my wedding day because I knew marriage wasn't exactly the stuff of dreams."

She added: "I also don't believe in 'happy ever after'. Things could end tomorrow."

Theron also claimed that she would be "delighted" if she discovered she was pregnant. The 32-year-old actress has dated Stuart Townsend for seven years.