PARIS (Reuters) - Actress Charlize Theron has signed a contract with Christian Dior to be the face of its best-selling perfume J'adore, pitting her against fellow Oscar winner Nicole Kidman who will launch a similar campaign for Chanel.

Theron is due to star in print and television advertisements for J'adore starting in this fall, a spokeswoman for Parfums Christian Dior said Friday.

She could not provide details of the contract, but trade publication Women's Wear Daily (WWD) quoted Friday industry sources as saying the South African actress had signed a three-year deal worth between $3 million and $5 million.

Theron won this year's Oscar for Best Actress for her performance as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in "Monster," a role which required her to put on weight and wear heavy make-up that rendered her almost unrecognizable.

The former model is the latest celebrity to sign an advertising deal with a major fashion label, a trend which industry watchers say reflects public fascination with the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Hilary Swank, another Oscar winner, headlines underwear ads for Calvin Klein, while Scarlett Johansson, Diane Kruger and Chloe Sevigny star in Louis Vuitton's fall campaign.

Kidman earlier this year signed a contract reported to be worth millions to become the face of Chanel's legendary No. 5 perfume. The advertisements were shot by fellow Australian Baz Luhrmann, who directed Kidman in the hit musical "Moulin Rouge."

The Dior campaign starring Theron was a collaboration between photographer Nick Knight and rebel British designer John Galliano, who has revolutionized the image of the label with extravagant and provocative catwalk displays.