Charlize Theron's daughters wow in matching black dresses during surprise gala appearance — and they're growing up fast

Charlize Theron is one proud mom! The Hollywood star was joined by two very special guests at the Sixth Annual Academy Museum Gala in LA on Saturday October 17 - her children Jackson, 14, and August, 12. 

The 51-year-old actress was captured on camera in footage shared by People chatting with her two daughters at the event, after she stepped out onto the red carpet solo. 

The doting mom enjoyed a sweet moment with her girls, who wore matching black dresses, twinning with the actress - who looked stylish in a floor-length Tom Ford gown with a sheer skirt and sparkly bodice with a completely sheer panel running down the front. 

It was especially meaningful that Charlize's children attended the gala, as they could watch her receive the Icon Award that night. 

Charlize Theron's bond with her daughters 

The actress adores being a mom and is incredibly protective of her children's privacy, rarely sharing photos of them. She has spoken about her close relationship with her girls on several occasions, including their thoughts on her dating life. 

Appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show in April, Charlize admitted she feared that her children would be "threatened" by her pursuing a relationship, but confessed they have become vocal supporters. "My kids are at an age now where they actually enjoy that I'm dating because they want to be involved," the 51-year-old actress said. 

"It's really funny how I was scared they'd be threatened by it, and now they're like, 'Mom, is he texting you? Like, go on the date, mom.'" While she may have her kids' support, Charlize admitted she isn't looking for a traditional relationship. "I really mean this — people think I joke — I don't think I could ever live with somebody again," she told host Drew Barrymore. 

"I would love for you to be close, like buy the house down the street, but I don't know if I can." While the actress may feel this way now, she noted her requirements could change once she becomes an empty nester. "Maybe it's because I still have my daughters in the house, and maybe that will change when I'm an empty nester, but I'm looking for something very specific," she added. 

When Drew replied that she loves "prioritizing my kids," Charlize said: "It's impossible not to. Your kids come first. They always come first." 

Charlize on raising teenagers 

During an appearance on New Heights, host Jason Kelce, who shares four daughters with wife Kylie Kelce, asked Charlize for parenting advice. She quipped: "They just turn into hormonal nightmares. Like, I'm getting my [expletive] handed to me from the moment that I walk into the house. And all these things are gonna serve them so well in life, but I might not make it." 

Charlize continued: "Nature does this beautiful thing where you think you're in your worst place right now, so that you can cope with what you have. But from where I am, I can tell you, [Jason], that you're in a lovely place and they're still lovely and sweet. 

"And then one day, you're gonna walk into their room around eleven, and they're gonna just be like, ‘Why did you turn the lights on?!'" the Oscar winner added. 

Charlize also said that everyone assumes shes a brash, "tough" person, but the reality is very different. "I'm a softy at heart," she previously revealed: "I just think people are always shocked when they hear, 'She cries at the drop of a hat,' or when they see me when I'm around my kids or when I talk about [them], and they're like, "Wait, I thought she was an [expletive]."