People often hear how expats living in foreign countries hanker for local delights such as biltong, chutney and koeksisters.

But apparently the longing for familiar sweet treats is just as intense, because when former Miss World – and Miss South Africa 1978 – Margaret Gardiner recently sat down to interview Charlize Theron, the movie star thought Margaret had brought her the ultimate gift.

“Goodness! Crunchies, Flakes and Turkish Delight. We’ll have to wrap up this interview very quickly,” Charlize joked.

Margaret revealed she’d flown from London the previous evening and had bought the treats at a shop there.

Margaret, who’s made a name for herself as a Hollywood journalist, did a combined interview with Charlize and actor David Oyelowo to promote the film Gringo, in which they both appear.

Charlize told Margaret – who’s been living in Los Angeles with her husband Professor Andre Nel since the ’80s – that there’s a shop in her area which also sells treats that are distributed in South Africa and not necessarily America, including Nestlé’s Smarties.

“My children are highly addicted to Smarties,” Charlize revealed. “We go there about once a month. There’s an entire section full of South African treats and then all hell breaks loose.”

In the interview Charlize talks about the way in which her mother, Gerda, has inspired her to know her own worth and how it’s helped her follow her dreams.

She also confessed she’s not generally someone who likes to break the rules and believes it has a lot to do with her South African upbringing.

Watch the interview here: