Charlize Theron Stuns Reciting Beautiful Nelson Mandela Speech
One of the most memorable — and unexpected — moments of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony came when actress Charlize Theron walked into Milan's San Siro Stadium and delivered a message of peace and unity, borrowing the words of Nelson Mandela.
After performers formed a dove in the middle of the stadium, they separated to allow Theron, a South African native, to take center stage. The Oscar winner — dressed impeccably in a black floor-length gown — took the microphone to address the crowd, the Olympic athletes, and the world.
Theron began reciting a passage from Mandela's speech from the Global Convention on Peace and Nonviolence in New Delhi, India in 2004 — the same year the actress won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Monster.