Halle Maria Berry (born Maria Halle Berry; August 14, 1966) is an American actress. She began her career as a model and beauty contestant, becoming Miss Ohio USA in 1986, finishing as first runner-up at Miss USA 1986, and placing sixth at Miss World 1986. Her early film roles include Boomerang (1992), The Flintstones (1994) and Bulworth (1998). She produced and starred in the television film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
Berry won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of a struggling widow in the romantic drama Monster's Ball (2001). She played Storm in the X-Men film series (2000–2014), a villain in Swordfish (2001), the Bond girl Jinx in Die Another Day (2002), a psychiatrist in Gothika (2003), and Catwoman in Catwoman (2004). She also appeared in Perfect Stranger (2007), Cloud Atlas (2012) and The Call (2013), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019).(2020).
Berry produced the television film Lackawanna Blues (2005), and subsequently produced several projects in which she also performed, including the film Frankie & Alice (2010) and the CBS science fiction series Extant (2014–2015). In 2014, Berry launched the production company 606 Films. In 2020, she made her directorial debut with the Netflix drama Bruised. She has been a Revlon spokesmodel since 1996. She was formerly married to baseball player David Justice, singer-songwriter Eric Benét, and actor Olivier Martinez. Berry shares one child with Martinez and another with her former partner Gabriel Aubry.
Early life Maria Halle Berry was born on August 14, 1966Although Britannica Kids gives a 1968 birthdate , (from the original on August 17, 2012), she stated in interviews prior to August 2006 that she would turn40 then. See: FemaleFirst, DarkHorizons, FilmMonthly , and see also Profile, CBS News; accessed May 5, 2007. in Cleveland, Ohio."Halle Berry". Inside the Actors Studio. Bravo, October 29, 2007. Her mother is Judith Ann (née Hawkins), a first generation American whose own mother was from Liverpool. Her father is Jerome Jesse Berry, an African-American man who died in 2003. Berry's mother worked as a psychiatric nurse, while her father worked in the same hospital as an attendant in the psychiatric ward. He later became a bus driver. Berry's parents divorced when she was four years old, and she and her older sister were raised exclusively by their mother. Berry's middle name came from Halle's Department Store, a Cleveland landmark at the time. Berry's name was legally changed to Halle Maria Berry when she was five.
Berry witnessed her alcoholic father frequently beating her mother, and Berry became estranged from him during childhood. Berry was bullied as a child, and learned how to fight and protect herself. She grew up in Oakwood, Ohio,"The Woman Who Would Be Queen". People. Retrieved May 20, 2018. and graduated from Bedford High School, where she was a cheerleader, honor student, editor of the school newspaper, and prom queen. She worked in the children's department of Higbee's department store and attended Cuyahoga Community College. In 1985, she won the Miss Teen All American beauty pageant. In 1986, she won Miss Ohio USA, was the first runner-up at Miss USA, and became the first African-American to represent the United States at the Miss World pageant, where she placed sixth.
Career Early work and breakthrough (1989–1999) In 1989, Berry moved to New York City to realize her acting ambitions. At one point early on, she ran out of money and briefly lived in a homeless shelter and a YMCA."Swordfish: Interview With Halle Berry" , Cinema.com. Accessed May 10, 2012. Her film debut was in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever (1991), in which she played Vivian, a drug addict. The same year, Berry had her first co-starring role in Strictly Business. In 1992, Berry portrayed a career woman who falls for Eddie Murphy's character in the romantic comedy Boomerang. The following year, she played a headstrong biracial slave in the TV adaptation of Queen: The Story of an American Family, based on the book by Alex Haley. Berry also appeared in the live-action Flintstones film as Sharon Stone, a sultry secretary who attempts to seduce Fred Flintstone."Berry: Ripe for success", BBC News, March 25, 2002; accessed February 19, 2007.
Berry tackled a more serious role, playing a former drug addict struggling to regain custody of her son in Losing Isaiah (1995), starring opposite Jessica Lange. She portrayed Sandra Beecher in Race the Sun (1996), which was based on a true story, shot in Australia, and co-starred alongside Kurt Russell in Executive Decision. Beginning in 1996, she was a Revlon spokeswoman for seven years and renewed her contract in 2004. She starred alongside Natalie Deselle Reid in the 1997 comedy film B*A*P*S. In 1998, Berry received praise for her role in Bulworth as an intelligent woman raised by activists who gives a politician (Warren Beatty) a new lease on life. The same year, she played the singer Zola Taylor, one of the three wives of pop singer Frankie Lymon, in the biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love. In the 1999 HBO biopic Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, she portrayed Dorothy Dandridge, the first African American woman to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. It was to Berry a heartfelt project that she introduced, co-produced and fought intensely for it to come through. Berry won awards including a Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award.Parish, James Robert (October 29, 2001). The Hollywood Book of Death: The Bizarre, Often Sordid, Passings of More than 125 American Movie and TV Idols, Contemporary Books of McGraw Hill;
Worldwide recognition (2000–2004) Berry portrayed the mutant superhero Storm in the film adaptation of the comic book series X-Men (2000) and its sequels, X2 (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). In 2001, Berry appeared in the film Swordfish, which featured her first topless scene. At first, she was opposed to a sunbathing scene in the film in which she would appear topless, but Berry eventually agreed. Some people attributed her change of heart to a substantial increase in the amount Warner Bros. offered her;Davies, Hugh (February 7, 2001). "Halle Berry earns extra £357,000 for topless scene" , The Telegraph; accessed April 29, 2008. she was reportedly paid an additional $500,000 for the short scene.D'Souza, Christa (December 31, 2001). "And the winner is..." , The Telegraph; accessed August 16, 2010. Berry denied these stories, telling one interviewer that they amused her and "made for great publicity for the movie." After turning down numerous roles that required nudity, she said she decided to make Swordfish because her then-husband, Eric Benét, supported her and encouraged her to take risks."Halle's big year" (November 2002), Ebony.
Berry appeared as Leticia Musgrove, the troubled wife of an executed murderer (Sean Combs), in the 2001 feature film Monster's Ball. Her performance was awarded the National Board of Review and the Actor Award for Best Actress. She became the first African-American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. The NAACP issued the statement: "Congratulations to Halle Berry and Denzel Washington for giving us hope and making us proud. If this is a sign that Hollywood is finally ready to give opportunity and judge performance based on skill and not on skin color then it is a good thing.""NAACP Congratulates Halle Berry, Denzel Washington" (March 2002), U.S. Newswire; accessed October 29, 2015. This role generated controversy. Her graphic nude love scene with a racist character played by co-star Billy Bob Thornton was the subject of much media chatter and discussion among African Americans. Many in the African-American community were critical of Berry for taking the part. Berry responded: "I don't really see a reason to ever go that far again. That was a unique movie. That scene was special and pivotal and needed to be there, and it would be a really special script that would require something like that again."
Berry asked for a higher fee for Revlon advertisements after winning the Oscar. Ron Perelman, the cosmetics firm's chief, congratulated her, saying how happy he was that she modeled for his company. She replied, "Of course, you'll have to pay me more." Perelman stalked off in a rage.Davies, Hugh (April 2, 2002). "Berry seeks higher adverts fee" , The Telegraph; accessed April 1, 2008. In accepting her award, she gave an acceptance speech honoring previous black actresses who had never had the opportunity. She said, "This moment is so much bigger than me. This is for every nameless, faceless woman of color who now has a chance tonight because this door has been opened."Poole, Oliver (March 26, 2002). "Oscar night belongs to Hollywood's black actors", The Telegraph; accessed April 1, 2008.
As Bond girl Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson in the 2002 Die Another Day, Berry filmed an homage to Dr. No, emerging from the surf to be greeted by James Bond as Ursula Andress had forty years earlier."Berry recreates a Bond girl icon" (April 12, 2002), Telegraph Observer. Lindy Hemming, costume designer on Die Another Day, had insisted that Berry wear a bikini and knife as a homage. Berry has said of the scene: "It's splashy," "exciting," "sexy," "provocative" and "it will keep me still out there after winning an Oscar."Die Another Day Special Edition DVD 2002. According to an ITV news poll, Jinx was voted the fourth toughest girl on screen of all time.. MI6 News. Berry was hurt during filming when debris from a smoke grenade flew into her eye. It was removed in a 30-minute operation.Hugh Davies (April 10, 2002). "Halle Berry hurt in a blast during Bond film scene." The Telegraph; accessed April 1, 2008. After Berry won the Academy Award, rewrites were commissioned to give her more screentime for X2."The X-Men 2 panel" (July 30, 2002), joblo.com; accessed March 12, 2008.
She starred in the psychological thriller Gothika opposite Robert Downey, Jr. in November 2003. She had broken her arm while filming a scene with Downey, who twisted her arm too hard. Production was halted for eight weeks while she healed."Halle Berry talks about Gothika", iVillage.co.uk; accessed October 29, 2015. It was a moderate hit at the United States box office, taking in $60 million; it earned another $80 million abroad. Berry appeared in the nu metal band Limp Bizkit's music video for "Behind Blue Eyes" for the motion picture soundtrack for the film. The same year, she was named No. 1 in FHMs 100 Sexiest Women in the World poll."FHM Readers Name Scarlett Johansson World's Sexiest Woman; Actress Tops Voting in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006 Readers' Poll" (March 27, 2006), Business Wire; accessed January 1, 2008.
Berry starred as the title role in the film Catwoman,Sharon Waxman (July 21, 2004). "Making Her Leap Into an Arena Of Action; Halle Berry Mixes Sexiness With Strength" , New York Times. Accessed April 1, 2008. for which she received US$12.5 million.David Gritten (July 30, 2004). "Curse of the Best Actress Oscar", The Telegraph; accessed October 29, 2015. It is widely regarded by critics as one of the worst films ever made. She was awarded the Worst Actress Razzie Award for her performance; she appeared at the ceremony to accept the award in person (while holding her Oscar from Monster's Ball) with a sense of humor, considering it an experience of the "rock bottom" in order to be "at the top." Holding the Academy Award in one hand and the Razzie in the other she said, "I never in my life thought that I would be up here, winning a Razzie! It's not like I ever aspired to be here, but thank you. When I was a kid, my mother told me that if you could not be a good loser, then there's no way you could be a good winner.""Halle Berry Biography: Page 2" , People.com; accessed December 20, 2007.