Watch Charlize Theron Speak out for First Time About ‘Dating’ Brad Pitt

Charlize Theron was reported to have had a romantic relationship with Brad Pitt earlier this year, and now the actress has spoken out for first time about those “dating” rumors. During an appearance on Ellen — along with her Bombshell co-stars Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie — Theron addressed the situation by saying that she was apparently in “an entire relationship that I didn’t even know about.” The conversation came up while the group was playing a game where they tried to find a good celebrity match for Theron, who is currently single.

Following the rumors, which emerged in January, sources close to the pair spoke with news outlets and refuted the reports that Theron and Pitt were an item.

“Brad and Charlize have known each other for years and recently became even better friends after working together,”one source told Entertainment Tonight. “They enjoy each other’s company and connect on many levels. Brad and Charlize have a lot of mutual friends and share their love of acting, but neither of them are ready for a serious relationship right now.”

“They are both very single at the moment so it’s no surprise people are talking romance. They truly would make a Hollywood power couple, but at this point, they’re friends,” the insider added, the going on to say that when Pitt does seek a serious relationship again, he won’t be “looking for an actress as a lifetime partner.”

“He’s tried that route already, and while he loved both Jen [Aniston] and Angelina [Jolie] very much, and he grew tremendously as a person with both women, he is ready for something different. At the moment, he is all about his career and his children. He is working on several projects and spends every moment he can with his kids,” the source added.

A separate source explained to PEOPLE that Pitt and Theron did work on a project together some time before the rumors sparked, but fervently stated at the time that they had not been in contact for almost six months.

“About six months ago, they did a shoot together,” the second insider said. “They have not been out together recently, and were never dating. Reports of them being involved romantically are false.”

Theron was with Irish actor Stuart Townsend for nearly a decade, and before that dated Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins. Most recently she dated — and was engaged to — Sean Penn, but the pair split in 2015.

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