New York: Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron gives credit to her mother for her Hollywood career and says she motivated her and bought her a one-way air ticket to the US.

Theron talked about moving to Hollywood from her native South Africa and her fame in a candid interview with a magazine.

Pagesix.com quoted her as saying, "My mom came over from South Africa and said, 'Either you figure out what to do next or you come home, because you can sulk in South Africa'."

"She reminded me that I loved movies. She said, 'They make them in Hollywood,' and she bought me a one-way plane ticket. When I arrived in California, I got in the cab and said, 'Take me to Hollywood.' That was a mistake: The driver took me to a motel called the Farmer's Daughter, which was somewhat close to the Hollywood sign. Now it's a cool place, but the rooms were rented by the hour. It took several bottles of bleach and some strenuous scrubbing before I could close my eyes in that room."

Commenting on fame, she added, "I don't like the tactics of the paparazzi, but in some ways, I almost prefer their unflattering shots to the glossy images in magazines. I like to see the human underneath."