Esquire magazine has bestowed its annual "sexiest woman alive" title on South African actress Charlize Theron.

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Theron, who won an Oscar for her performance in "Monster" and who can now be seen in the big-screen drama "In the Valley of Elah," joins a "sexiest" group that includes Jessica Biel, Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson.

In an article accompanying her sexy photo spread in the November issue of Esquire, Theron admitted she hasn't always chosen the best film projects in the past.

"'Reindeer Games.' That was a bad, bad, bad movie," she said. "But even though the movie might suck, I got to work with John Frankenheimer. I wasn't lying to myself -- that's why I did it. I mean, he directed 'The Manchurian Candidate,' which is like the movie of all movies."

The actress, who has lived in the United States for years, also expressed an interest in politics and world affairs.

"I grew up in a country that learned the lesson that you can't impose your way of life on 26 different kinds of people just because you call yourself righteous," Theron told Esquire. "I think there are lessons this country still has to learn."