Actress Charlize Theron has said she hopes it won't be long before awards shows have gender-neutral categories.

The Oscar-winner was speaking ahead of Sunday's Hollywood Film Awards, and said "let's hope soon" when asked when such awards should be introduced.

The idea has already been implemented by MTV, which scrapped the best actor and actress categories at its Movie & TV awards, opting for an overall best actor prize in 2017.

Image: Emma Watson won a gender-neutral acting MTV award in 2017

Earlier this year, British singer Sam Smith told fans they now identify as non-binary and uses the pronoun they/them, leading more people to call for changes to traditional awards categories.

Following Smith's announcement, the Brits, the biggest music awards in the UK, announced it was reviewing the way it gives out prizes.


The Brits previously told Sky News it "100% confirms" there will be male and female awards at the 2020 ceremony but there will be "significant" changes the year after.

Theron announced earlier in the year that her oldest adopted child, Jackson, is being raised as a girl, after she first introduced her to the world as a boy.

She told The Daily Mail: "Yes, I thought she was a boy... until she looked at me when she was three years old and said: 'I am not a boy!'"

"So there you go! I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive."

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Theron was being honoured at the Hollywood Film Awards with the career achievement award, and is currently starring in US drama Bombshell, where she plays former Fox News host Megyn Kelly.

Her performance has seen her tipped to be among the frontrunners for the best actress Oscar - an award she previously won in 2003.