Charlize Theron dating Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet?
Charlize Theron dating Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet? Reuters

Reports suggest Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron is dating Eric Stonestreet, star of hit American TV show Modern Family.

The Daily Mail claims Snow White and the Huntsman star Theron was introduced to Stonestreet by mutual friends in Los Angeles earlier this year, and romance is beginning to develop.

"Charlize and Eric get along incredibly well. They started off as friends but things are blossoming between them," an insider said in the Daily Mail report.

"Eric is down to earth and funny and Charlize thinks the world of him. It is early days but they're very fond of each other."

However the rumours have been, rather cheekily, cleared up by Stonestreet, who tweeted: "I wish people would stop spreading rumors that Charlize Theron and I are dating. Its starting to make Halle Berry jealous."

Stonestreet plays the role of gay Cameron Tucker in the award-winning sitcom Modern Family, and won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2012 Emmys held on Sunday night.

"I wouldn't be standing here without Jesse Tyler Ferguson (who plays the role of Stonestreet's life partner, Mitchell Pritchett, in the show) there is no Cam without Mitch. We get the awesome opportunity to play these two characters on TV and show America and the world what a loving couple we can be just like everybody else . . . and I never knew I'd be on TV as a gay man, but I love the pictures of hairy chests you guys are sending me, it's really amazing. Thank you for those," he said after receiving the award.

Theron, who won an Oscar for Best Actress for Monster in 2003, has been single since breaking up with Stuart Townsend in 2010 and has often been pictured with her son Jackson, who she adopted in May.

"I love it! I've got to tell you, I'm available for other babies' diapers to be changed. ... I can do it in my sleep now. I'm so good. ... And as we were traveling, I had to buy diapers in different countries -- because he came on the press tour with me," an excited Theron said to Ann Curry on The Today Show.

"So I now know how to change a Japanese diaper, a Spanish diaper, an English diaper, (and a) German diaper. They all have little things (that are different). I'm like the diaper pro now!"