Charlize Theron denies rolling her eyes at Tia Mowry at a SoulCycle in 2014

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One of my favorite celebrity-beef stories of all time was when Tia Mowry went to In Touch Weekly to call out Charlize Theron. It was so random, so bizarre and so believable. Tia and Charlize apparently went to the same SoulCycle, and when Tia went up to Charlize to tell her she was a huge fan, Tia said that Charlize’s reaction was to roll her eyes and say “OH MY GOD.” Tia thought that was rude as hell. After that story came out, sources claimed that Charlize tried to have Tia banned from SoulCycle, and Tia later tried to backtrack. It was a great beef and I have no problem believing that Charlize was and is a rude person. Well, Charlize appeared on Watch What Happens Live on Sunday and she was asked about the whole Tia Mowry thing.

During a rousing round of Plead the Fifth, Andy Cohen admitted he was “obsessed with this story” and asked Charlize to finally share her version of events. “What a bitch!” Theron joked. “No, I heard this story—did she really say it? Was it just written? Was it taken out of [context]?”

Cohen said the story originated in In Touch, so Theron was willing to cut her some slack. “Oh, well, you can’t go by that, right?” she said. “I’m really nice at SoulCycle, actually, because once my endorphins kick in I’m actually almost too friendly. I’m always touching people, like, ‘Hey!'”
“Did you roll your eyes at Tia Mowry?” Cohen asked, once and for all.

“I’m not an eye roller,” Theron replied. “But I would be like, ‘F–k off.'”

[From E! News]

I’m including the video of the exchange below. Charlize sort of shrugs it off, and I get the impression that she’s rude to people pretty regularly and she doesn’t remember all of the times she was rude to someone. Or hey, maybe it didn’t happen like Tia said. But I do believe something happened.

Here’s the clip from Watch What Happens Live. Charlize also says a flat “no” when asked if she’s dating Gabriel Aubry, so he was not her mystery date! She also kind of shrugs about the beef between Vin Diesel and The Rock.

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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77 Responses to “Charlize Theron denies rolling her eyes at Tia Mowry at a SoulCycle in 2014”

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  1. Cleo says:

    This is why I don’t get the Charlize worship. She seems like a rude, mean person to people she deems unimportant. Yeah, she can believably kick ass and she’s a good actress, but I’m not going to kiss her ring for being an “ice queen.” Just be nice to people.

    • Lora says:

      Oh yes!!! Didn’t get why everybody was hating on tom hardy, because he had beef with her also…

      • Mia 4s says:

        Tom Hardy is a MEGA a-hole for reasons and situations unrelated to Charlize; but I doubt she was 100% innocent in that feud. I think they both did their best to make each other miserable.

      • Nicole says:

        Tom and Charlize are both massive A-holes I agree. Don’t get the love for either of them.

    • Maya says:

      I am with you – don’t care how good looking or talented she is, she is a very rude person.

      I stopped watching her movies years ago due to her ugly personality.

      • minx says:

        Theron reminds me of the saying “Character is how you treat people who can do nothing for you.” If you can’t do anything for her, you’re not worth her time.

    • Nyawira says:

      I don’t know. I’m really grossed out by people’s reaction to celebrity. Just because I see someone on screen doesn’t mean they have invited me into their space. And especially somewhere like Soul Cycle. Girl is there to work out life’s stresses and there you are trying to get acknowledged by this total stranger. Why is it more special to have your existence acknowledged by her than by the hundreds of Joes and Janes you pass everday? Is your life that sad?
      And does it occur to you that you are the hundredth person to attempt to connect with this stranger and it’s not even lunch time? It’s pathetic!

      If you see a celebrity leave them alone unless there’s a solidly good reason to force yourself upon this stranger. If you don’t then don’t be surprised if they aren’t feeling you.

      • Cleo says:

        The way Tia Mowry told the story made it seem so innocent though. She just mentioned going up to say, “Hi, I like your work,” not, “Oh my god, sign all my sh*t and take 50 selfies for EVIDENCE.” Those are very different interactions. It takes very, VERY little effort to be cordial to someone acting like Tia did. Charlize also didn’t contradict Tia’s version of events, so she’s probably telling the truth.

      • KB says:

        The gym would be the last place I would want someone to approach me. You get in your zone and you’re sweaty and gross and it’s just the last place I’d want to be approached.

        That said, she didn’t exactly deny it and I feel like she’s absolutely an eye roller. I think part of her charm is the ice queen thing though so I still like her. I’d never approach her though, she’s terrifying!

      • Dem says:

        This. Sometimes you just want to be left to your thoughts especially at the gym. I cant imagine being approached in a locker room by a “fan” and being expected to entertain it. Tia is lucky that all she did was roll her eyes. I would have schooled her on manners. I would also have asked management to check her mobile phone for surreptitious pics. Anyone with the bad manners to approach you there probably also took pics of you sweaty on the bike. And the fact that Tia ran to this low tier tabloid with this nothing burger adds to the likelihood that she would have taken and sold a pic if she could.

      • Juliaoc says:

        YES. She probably has people “just smile” at her all the time and if she smiles back, they either want something from her or think that they’re her new BFF.

        Oh, and also? IT WAS A FREAKING EYE-ROLL. Someone rolls_their_eyes at you and you run to the press with it?

      • V4Real says:

        @Nyawira
        Who said if you see a celeb just leave them alone.
        Well Tia is a celeb too, not as big as Charlize but she’s still a celeb.

        And it’s not like Tia asked for an autograph, she just said hi, I like your movies. Charlize is just a rude arrogrant prick. She and Hardy probably didn’t get along because their personalities are too much alike.

      • KB says:

        Tia and Charlize have nowhere near the same amount of celebrity. Tia is probably approached a couple of times a week, if that. Charlize is probably approached every time she goes out in public. It’s not the same at all.

        Gyms and doctor’s offices should be off limits to approach celebrities. If Tia had to approach her she should have just made small talk, not brought up Charlize’s work. That creates this expectation of “you’re important to me, now thank me for being a fan, you owe me.”

        Telling a celebrity you love their work is not actually about them anyways. It’s about you which is why people get bitter when they don’t get the reaction they wanted.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I agree, Nyawira. I don’t think Charlize owed Tia anything. She was there to workout. Tia wanted a special moment, but she chose a really bad time to go after it. Even by Tia’s telling, Charlize didn’t go “full bitch” on her. She just wasn’t as enthusiastic as Tia envisioned. Well what do you expect when you interrupt someone’s workout?

      • Tiffany :) says:

        “Telling a celebrity you love their work is not actually about them anyways. It’s about you which is why people get bitter when they don’t get the reaction they wanted.”

        ^^^This. People want to take away an experience or a good story. Sometimes, there is a limit to how much people want/can/should give.

      • WTW says:

        I’m wondering how many celebs you all have actually encountered? I’ve encountered several living in L.A. I ask this because most celebrities are pretty nice. Then again, I’ve never approached a celeb at the gym (where I’ve run into some D-listers) or at dinner, etc. But the few I’ve had conversations with have been very nice. It could be that they were men, and I’m a woman. One female actress did start a conversation with me before and was very pleasant. Of course, celebs don’t owe anyone anything. But unless someone is completely obnoxious, crazed or over the top, most do not seem to behave rudely to fans. Charlize’s behavior is rude, but I think some of her fans on this thread want to normalize it.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I deal with celebs regularly (where I live and my job). Yes, most are kind in the right situation, but the gym is different. There have to be some times where they aren’t serving the public. Restaurants, gyms, doctors offices, pharmacies, schools, etc. people should be more respectful and allow them their humanity.

      • FLORC says:

        I’ve chimed in on this before, but I guess let’s drag it up for movie promotion again.

        I was a soul cycle instructor. It was my side jam for years being mad dogg certified.
        At soul cycle specifically, the atmosphere is unique. You’re both a loner and a family. If you go only to work out you’re in and out within a blink and you choose the classes, reserve the bikes to separate you from the talkers, Glancers, socializers. This is not how CT was painted.

        I think it’s more than likely she was just a bitch.

      • Ange says:

        Many years ago The Rock used to pop into the gym I worked at while he was in town. He’d come in late with a few other guys to watch him and he kept his hood up so it was fairly obvious he didn’t want to be bothered. One of the other employees asked the bodyguards for a photo but he was gently rebuffed. The gym is a whole different thing, y’know? You’re sweaty, exhausted and kinda vulnerable because you’re unable to have your Hollywood face on. I can get why Charlize wasn’t pleased. I always thought it was a bit of an unwritten rule you don’t bother celebs at the gym. We’ve had others come through over the years and we knew to leave them be.

      • FLORC says:

        Ange
        As a gym rat I don’t think the rock’s behavior is the same as CT’s. Here’s why.

        Soul cycle is a chain of studios. You go to do a very specific for of exercise. And while not on a bike many will frequently interact with each other. Plus, you have talking points of your bike number. The scoreboard on the tvs… small chat of how toigh it was, etc.

        The rock maybe came in May be came in later because it fit his schedule. And sure, hoods go up to avoid contact, but also to keep the sweat going. Or hide your maxing out to failure face. Less chance a photo taken shows you in that state. And also… the gym is where you enter, lift, leave. There’s no constant going. No rest between sets where maybe someone might approach.

        I just don’t see the comparisons beyond they’re both places you exercise. The environments are total opposites.

      • Ange says:

        I worked at the gym. I AM a gym rat myself. I really don’t need you to explain how they work. If Charlize hadn’t been engaging with the people and environment offered at Soul Cycle previously then there was no reason for Tia to assume she was any different.

    • minx says:

      I have read about her being obnoxious and arrogant towards service people, waitresses, hotel employees, etc.–people she thinks are beneath her. I can’t stand her, she seems like a total beyotch.

    • Reef says:

      I’m a fan of Theron, but I know she’s rude af. My eyes are wide open when it comes to her but I don’t like her for her personality. If the worst things she does is be rude/not bothered with folks, I can take it.

    • milla says:

      Well she is protecting her privacy. I don’t see her as mean. I don’t care for people who always smile, or who are always nice. Cos that is not natural.

      • Cleo says:

        It may not be natural for you, but if I’m interacting with a stranger (pizza guy, person next to me on the bus, etc.) I always try to be considerate and nice to that person. I’ve experienced enough rudeness and meanness, why should I perpetuate that? But that’s just me.

      • minx says:

        Cleo, that’s my feeling. I don’t care as much about the gym story, because who knows what really happened, and Tia is a “celebrity”, albeit a minor one. But there is no reason to be rude to ordinary people because you are a rich celebrity and can throw your weight around.

    • lucy2 says:

      I think she’s stunningly beautiful and a great actress with a lot of range, but I fully believe she can be bitchy on the regular.

    • Adrien says:

      I honestly don’t find her all that stunning. She looks great alone by herself but when she stands next to a youthful actress like Sofia Boutella (who is in her mid thirties, btw), she shows her true age.

    • G says:

      Thank you. Kindness and strength are not mutually exclusive, and there is a difference between being a doormat and simply treating other people with courtesy and respect. Too often in the media it seems that to be a tough woman you must also be mean and/or cold.

  2. Nicole says:

    Yea i buy she’s rude on the regular lol

    • WTW says:

      I suspect she’s rude to people on the regular. About 15 years ago, a friend from college made a delivery to her house. He said she swung the door open, yelling “What?!” rather than simply saying hello. I think she then just snatched the package out of his hands without acknowledging him. Now, my friend is a very even-keeled person and definitely doesn’t get riled up easily, but he was pissed telling me what happened. He referred to her as the b-word and said she was ugly, which I find hard to believe. But maybe she doesn’t look good without makeup. Anyway, it was uncharacteristic of him to talk about women or anyone like that, so I take it that, yeah, she’s a nasty piece of work. My friend’s story comes to mind whenever I hear unpleasant things about Charlize.

      • Nicole says:

        Oh I’ve met her before. Rude af to everyone. Everyone around me was put off by her

      • WTW says:

        I just remembered that my friend didn’t deliver just any ole’ package but flowers. Most people would be happy to receive a flower delivery, apparently not her.

      • Reef says:

        I saw her randomly at a gas station in SC when she was bald or rather had a low fade. That woman is not ugly by any stretch of the imagination.

      • Harryg says:

        I don’t know why I don’t find her beautiful. I can see she’s pretty, but she doesn’t look pretty to me if that makes sense. Halle Berry makes me feel this too, pretty but not pretty.

      • WTW says:

        @Reef, my friend is an Asian guy with a thing for petite Latinas, so she probably just wasn’t his cup of tea.

      • Carrie says:

        @WTW 😂 I guess flowers make her mad. That was funny.

  3. Maya says:

    yeah we believe you Charlize – it’s not like there has been several stories from people who confirmed you are a first class ….

    Plus you got together with Sean Penn and is BFF with Chelsea Handler – those two things are enough to show the world your true personality.

    Charlie is one of the prime examples of a person being beautiful on the outside but not on the inside.

  4. Feebee says:

    I was going to say I believe she is an eye roller but when she said she’d just say fuck off I’m like, yep probably more that.

  5. Steph says:

    Meh, she didn’t kill a puppy. Some people are just like that. No one has to be nice to people. Im polite to people but for some reason people tend to think I’m rude just because I keep my business to myself or because I don’t smile 24/7

  6. poorlittlerichgirl says:

    I don’t know. I feel like Charlize probably is a total witch in real life but why is that so wrong? Every single person on this planet is not going to be a constant delight. She seems like the type that is a sarcastic witch to pretty much everyone. She doesn’t discriminate. It would be a highlight of my life if I met her in public and told me to eff off. I still like her. This segment with Andy kind of makes me like her a little more actually.

  7. Amide says:

    Zero surprise. I’ve heard gazillion stories of her b!tchy ways.😔😒😠

  8. Anna says:

    Ugh. I have never understood why people worship her. I know her type from living in West Africa and sure it’s worse in SA–the entitled WW who works their privilege and condescends to everyone. All it took was seeing one interview with her by chance–*not* something I went looking for!–to see that she is rude and dismissive to others and has drunk all her own koolaid and believes all her own hype. Seriously. And no number of adopting black children will change that. smdh

    • poorlittlerichgirl says:

      She gave her children a wonderful life and I’m sure she loves them very much. She also keeps them out of the public eye so it’s not like she adopted them for bragging rights. Your statement about them was kind of a low blow. Say what you want about her but to bring her kids into is taking it a bit too far.

    • WTW says:

      @Anna, I do find it interesting that she, a mom of black kids, was rude to this black “celebrity.” I put celebrity in quotes because I doubt Charlize even knew who Tia Mowry was. Anyway, so many kids who are the products of transracial adoption mention that their parents weren’t friends with any people of color and they grew up very racially isolated. I wonder if Charlize has black friends and if she even views that as important. Many black kids adopted by white people have complained that they were their parents first black friend, and that wasn’t okay. So, yeah, when a black lady comes up to you, perhaps Charlize could actually find it in herself to say hello.

      • WTW says:

        @Nina, where in this post did I say that she was racist? I think she’s rude to everyone, period. Does that make you feel better? She’s an equal opportunity a-hole. I was replying to Anna upthread who basically described her as a privileged white woman who acts like she’s better than everyone else. I’ve known many kids who are transracial adoptees and am acquaintances with a couple of non-black people who have adopted black kids.I am black with a white husband, and we will likely adopt black or biracial kids. I was just wondering if Charlize has any black friends or views that as important. And, yes, had she behaved differently, that slight interaction might have led to a friendship, playdate, etc., since Tia is a mom, too. That is all.

      • poorlittlerichgirl says:

        @WTW No offense but you totally made this about race. You know it, I know it, Nina knows it. Even the non-commenting Celebtichy readers know it. Who do you think you’re fooling here?

  9. BobaFelty says:

    I’m willing to cut her slack on this one story. Charlize doesn’t owe anyone a friendly conversation, but especially at a gym after a workout. After I take a cycle class, I’m sweating like a beast and would happily tell my best friends to f* off for a solid 5 minutes after the class ends. I need a few minutes to regroup to be myself. Maybe she just wanted her workout to be hers and be left in peace for a few minutes.

    That being said, I also think Charlize is a diva and there are lots of stories of her being rude in ways I find unacceptable. Still hold those against her.

  10. Jay says:

    Yes the story around SA is she’s a pretty rude horrible person, but that’s allegedly from her highschool days, a lot of people would have that rep. I believe it though.

  11. Freddy Spaghetti says:

    What Maya said. While she’s beautiful, she seems like a huge pain in the a** and rude to anyone she’s not interested in talking to, even to be polite.

  12. SM says:

    After she came so straighforward about not dating that French dude, it seems lime she tried to sugarcoat the eye roll story than deny it. I could easily believe she is both an eye roller and would tell someone off at the same time

  13. Dissa says:

    It’s James McAvoy

    Re her rudeness … how much of that is jealousy? We’d like to think a beautiful woman has something wrong with her – it’s the human condition.

    Remember though, she is the child of an alcoholic whose mother shot her alcoholic father after years of domestic violence.

    Life is short and we get to pick and choose our people. I’m giving her a pass.

    • No Dignity in that says:

      Exactly.
      Theron choose to not engage with Mowry. That is her right. You don’t have to engage with anybody who approaches you. You can choose. Theron can choose, too.

    • Elsa says:

      Ugh the old jealousy card….some of us have no need to be jealous because we’re beautiful too and age slowly and keep a youthful look for a long time.
      Not every woman is jealous.

    • G says:

      Ye olde jealousy argument is misogynistic. It says that women can’t be genuinely critical of other women as people. It says that there must always be an element of competition among women, and that beauty matters above all else, and therefore we have some uncontrollable desire to tear a beautiful woman down. That is not my experience as a woman, or of women.

      Aside from that, people on the whole are more likely to associate beauty with goodness and purity.

  14. sasha says:

    It’s amazing to me how people just surmise someone’s demeanor at a hint of suggestion.
    My guess is because she’s beautiful (unfortunate bra outfit aside) , she must be a bitch.
    I’d love to hang out with her. She seems to me to be someone who keeps it real.
    If that were to happen (it won’t) and she turns out to be a solid bitch, I’ll let you know.

  15. magnoliarose says:

    I still like her. I am surprised Tia spoke to her since most of the time stars are left alone in those kinds of settings. Her image has never been sweet girl next door type.

  16. mkyarwood says:

    As long as she’s not a bitch to her kid, I don’t care.

  17. No Dignity in that says:

    So a famous actress wanted some privacy on SoulCycle and was annoyed when some person just didn’t respect that? Do you really have to suffer anybody trying to small talk with you any time? Really? Some people just need to get over it: not everybody wants to be talked to when you approach them. Rejection is a valid action in the social game.

  18. perplexed says:

    She might be rude, but in a weird way I guess she kind of pulls it off. That answer of not being an eye-roller was kind of funny. I suppose she doesn’t care whether you think she’s nice or not, so maybe that’s why she’s able to pull it off. (Though I can’t tell if she’s rude or simply very direct and not much of a people-pleaser.)

    I probably wouldn’t have approached her though. I don’t think people, celebrity or not, like to be bothered when they’re busy with something. The gym seems like the type of place people go to get away from annoyances.

  19. BobaFelty says:

    I also believe that beautiful women sometimes have emotions projected onto them. I am extremely guilty of this, and try to be aware of it now. For example, in high school I was very overweight and bullied by a clique of the prettiest girls in the school. Fast forward to college, and I just assumed that any gorgeous girl in my dorm was probably a stuck up b*tch like those from high school. Lucky for me I got to know one of those pretty women, and she became one of my best friends. I realized I missed out on almost a year of friendship because I judged her based on her looks. This was a tough realization, for an overweight person like me who hates being judged on appearance, I did it right back to people!

    • Elsa says:

      I’m sorry but what does this have to do with Charlize and Tia? Tia is beautiful too so why would she be jealous of Charlize? Charlize is much older than Tia so i doubt she sees her that way.
      I know what you mean about projecting things onto beautiful women, I have had that happen to me and I am sure many women have had that happen to them. I just don’t think this is the case here.

  20. Elsa says:

    That is her right, of course, but can I just say how pathetic some of you sound?
    “Omgz she’s so cool because she tells it like it is and bitches are cool and make my insecure self feel cool by proximity!”.
    You sound like those hanger ons the popular girl in high school keeps around to kiss her ass while you worship her. I’ve always said a lot of people like being treated like shit and the meaner someone is the more friends they seem to have because a lot of people have low self esteem in this world and admire mean/rude people because they show strength or something, some sort of power thing.
    In any case, it is sort of sad and I wish people would start loving themselves more.
    The coolest people I know are some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet and these are the people I admire and yes, some of these kind people are drop dead gorgeous as well.

    • Annabelle says:

      I’m sorry but I have to laugh at your harping on about mean girls while also calling people pathetic and insecure for not being bothered by Charlize wanting to be left alone at SoulCycle. You seem to be taking a page from those high school mean girls yourself with this comment.

      • Elsa says:

        I am not calling people pathetic and insecure because Charlize chose not to speak to them, you clearly missed my point, this was an aside. I was aiming this comment to people who said she is now MORE admirable for (alledgedly) being rude, people saying things like, I like her more now or she is cool for being a bitch. Read the comments above.
        I don’t care if you choose not to say hello to anyone and that is your right. That was not what I was commenting on.

  21. Saskia says:

    She seems like a cool and confident woman. Beautiful too. She has no obligation to converse with anyone she doesn’t want to. Being a fan of someone does not entitle you to his/her time or to a preferred demeanor from that person. If you’re a fan of someone’s work be a fan of his/her work and live your life. Keep healthy boundaries in place when you decide to interact with a stranger that you admire.

  22. perplexed says:

    If everyone said Sandra Bullock was rude and a witch, I’d be shocked.

    Here, not so much.

    • Saskia says:

      Someone mentioned that Charlize is friends with Chelsea Handler as another indicator of Charlize’s supposed rudeness. Well, Sandra Bullock is also friends with Chelsea. What does it mean?

  23. Gailly says:

    Every time I see Charlize, my mind automatically jumps to her small role in That Thing You Do and I visual her saying, “I’m Tina!”

  24. Jeesie says:

    Charlize is a rude b, but we know that. Tia didn’t exactly cover herself with glory though, running to the press with a non-story about someone much more famous. That kind of thirst makes me think an eye-roll was probably a pretty restrained reaction.

  25. Ollie says:

    This whole story…. You’d think Theron tried to kill Mowrey. She just didn’t want to say hi. Why Is this such a big thing for some people?
    All this overreaction a la “i won’t watch her movies anymore” just shows that when a woman isn’t nice 24/7 and grateful for every tiny bit attention our society will try to punish her for her “wrongdoing”
    Women don’t need to be nice.

  26. Mannori says:

    she’s so full of herself. Can’t stand her.