Charlize Theron Planning Protests Now She's A U.S. Citizen 9/18/08

Charlize Theron is hoping to get active now protesting won't get her deported from America. The South African-born Oscar winner was kicked out of the U.S. when she was 19 after a film about Cuba she produced and financed was considered unpatriotic and damaging to America.

And the incident made her realize she'd have to become a U.S. citizen before she could protest national politics, war or human rights violations on American soil. Theron, who became an American citizen in 2007, says, "Protesting is different because you can be videotaped and then get arrested and, when you've been arrested, it's harder to get citizenship.

"I produced and financed a documentary, called East of Havana, in Cuba that was considered unpatriotic here in America and I got deported when I was 19, so I didn't want to push my luck."

But now she's a citizen, the Monster star insists she'll be a lot more active when it comes to her pet causes: "I've always been very open about my politics. I waited until I got my American citizenship to protest.

"To say something that comes from a place of questioning government and questioning policies is considered unpatriotic, and that kind of means you don't love the country and you should go back, is something that I don't believe in. I've always been very much about causes and I don't hide from that. This is my home now and I'm here to stay."