Joining Brad Pitt as one half of the dual cover subjects, Charlize Theron graces the front page of the February 2012 issue of W magazine.

The Oscar-winning beauty looked radiant in a mesmerizing Mario Sorrenti shot spread while decked out in Bottega Veneta’s silk chiffon gown and Martin Katz 18k white gold and diamond earrings.

Meanwhile, highlights from Charlize’s interview are as follows. For more, be sure to visit W Magazine.

On whether she has to like a character to play her (referring to her Mavis role in ‘Young Adult’):
“I liked Mavis, but no, I don’t think I need to like my characters. I do think empathy is very important. It’s crucial to understand circumstance and story to grasp the role in a truthful manner. Your characters are like your children: Sometimes they make you proud, and other times, you think, Oh, really?! In Young Adult, I wanted to show some cringe-worthy moments that only women will get.”

On whether she was always tall and blonde and beautiful:

“For the first eight years of my life, I didn’t have front teeth. I was pretty sick as an infant, and antibiotics rotted them. But then I started to take dance classes, and I eventually got some teeth [laughs]. When I was 16, I went to Milan to model.”

On whether she always dreamt of being an actress:

“I wanted to be a ballerina, but I was too tall, and I had too many injuries. What I loved as a ballerina was telling stories, and I could also do that with acting, so I eventually moved to L.A.”

On her audition for ’2 Days in the Valley’:

“I remember I was in a catsuit. I’d never auditioned before, and I almost brought a bottle of ketchup and squirted it all over myself for the scene where I got shot. I looked like a maniac. It was a dying scene, so I barged through the door and started crawling on the floor. I think they were too scared not to give me the role.”