Halle Berry biography, Oscar, kids, daughter, age, net worth, awards 2025

Halle Berry's Biography

Halle Berry is an American actress who made history as the first woman of color to win an Academy Award. She is known for her roles in movies like "X-Men," "Monster's Ball," "Cloud Atlas," and many others. Her career has been a rollercoaster of triumphs and setbacks. Her filmography spans everything from blockbuster hits to intimate indie films.

Early Years

Halle Maria Berry was born in Cleveland on August 14, 1966. Interestingly, her parents originally switched her first and middle names, naming their daughter after the local Halle's Department Store. Her mother, Judith, worked as a nurse. Her father, Jerome, worked with his wife at a psychiatric clinic before becoming a bus driver.

In 1970, the Berry couple divorced following a difficult period: Jerome abused Judith almost daily, often in front of Halle and her older sister Heidi. After he left, the family never heard from him again and has no idea what became of him.

At Bedford High School, Halle was incredibly active: she captained the cheerleading squad, worked on the school newspaper, and served as class president. After graduation, she enrolled at Cuyahoga Community College while working as a sales consultant in a children's department.

While attending Bedford High School, Halle was the head of the cheerleading team

The early '80s saw Berry diving into the world of beauty pageants. After making it through multiple rounds, she claimed the Miss Teen All-American crown in 1985. The following year, she won Miss Ohio, earning her shot at the Miss USA title.

The beginning of the '80s was marked by Berry's participation in beauty pageants

At Miss USA, Christy Fichtner took the crown while Halle finished as runner-up, earning her a spot at Miss World. She became the first woman of color to represent the USA in the competition's history. She made it all the way to the finals, finishing as 5th runner-up. Back home, she decided to focus on building her modeling career.

In 1989, Halle moved to New York for better career opportunities. After some early setbacks, she found herself broke and spent a week in a homeless shelter. Just as she landed her first serious job, another challenge hit: she was diagnosed with diabetes.

Acting Career

Health issues couldn't stop Halle Berry from making her mark. Her role in the TV series "Living Dolls" (1989) helped her tackle financial problems and build confidence. She then received an offer from Spike Lee to star in "Jungle Fever" (1991), and in the film "The Last Boy Scout" (1991), she played alongside Bruce Willis.

"Boomerang" (1992), with Berry in a key role, was a hit with audiences. The payoff – two MTV Award nominations for "Breakthrough Performance" and "Most Desirable Female". In the fantasy comedy "The Flintstones" (1994), Berry also managed to shine, earning a "Saturn Award" nomination.

After "Executive Decision" (1996), "Bulworth" (1998), and several other solid mid-budget films, Berry returned to television with "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge" (1999). For the first time, she served as executive producer and swept major awards ceremonies: an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Her breakthrough role as weather-controlling superhero Storm in "X-Men" (2000) opened major doors, with creators planning multiple films. She joined Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Famke Janssen in what became a long-running mutant franchise.

Halle Berry as Storm

The following year, Halle went full-frontal for the first time in "Swordfish" (2001). That same year, the drama "Monster's Ball" was released. Berry loved the script so much she slashed her fee just so producers could make the budget work. The gamble paid off – she won an Oscar, a Silver Bear from Berlin, and a BAFTA for her role in Marc Forster's drama.

Halle Berry Wins Best Actress: 74th Oscars (2002)

"Die Another Day" (2002) – the latest James Bond film with Pierce Brosnan – proved both exciting and lucrative for Berry: her "Bond girl" paycheck hit $4 million.

In 2002, Halle Berry starred in a new James Bond series

Berry's return in "X2: X-Men United" (2003) thrilled fans of both the actress and her character. Filming "Gothika" (2003) shortly after had to be paused when Berry broke her arm during a scene with Robert Downey Jr.

With her career soaring, she got the chance to play another comic book heroine – this time as the lead. The studio promised a $14 million fee and possible sequels. But "Catwoman" (2004) by Pitof, co-starring Sharon Stone and Benjamin Bratt, bombed spectacularly: it lost money, got slammed by critics and audiences, and earned a Razzie nomination.

Berry caught a break while working on the dubbing for the animated film "Robots" (2005), and television came to her rescue: for "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (2005), the actress was again nominated for an "Emmy" and a "Golden Globe". However, she lost out both times to S. Epatha Merkerson.

Halle Berry accepts her RAZZIE

In the third part of the mutant franchise "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006), Berry almost didn't return. She had issues with Bryan Singer, the director of the previous two films, and felt that Storm wasn't developing as a character or contributing enough to the plot. Only when Brett Ratner took over as director and the studio guaranteed more screen time did she agree to sign on.

Halle Berry Breaks Down Her Career, from X-Men to Bruised

In 2007, Berry worked again with Bruce Willis in "Perfect Stranger" (2007) and also received her own star on the "Hollywood Walk of Fame".

In 'Frankie & Alice', Halle played a woman with a mental disorder

The film "Frankie & Alice" (2009) proved experimental and controversial, with Berry playing a woman with multiple personality disorder whose various identities complicate her life and relationships.

After a brief hiatus, Berry joined the star-studded cast of Garry Marshall's anthology "New Year's Eve" (2011). The comedy managed to make money at the box office, but both audiences and critics gave the film a lukewarm reception.

CLOUD ATLAS Interview with Tom Hanks and Halle Berry

"Cloud Atlas" (2012) – a film that still divides audiences. In the sci-fi film by Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis, each actor played several roles, transforming beyond recognition. Berry said the makeup was so convincing that she couldn't always recognize her co-stars, even during face-to-face conversations.

The experiments continued the following year. "The Call" (2013) earned recognition at the Saturn Awards, performed well at the box office, and won over audiences, while "Movie 43" (2013) became much more infamous, mainly in a negative way. The film was an anthology of outrageous stories featuring A-list stars like Kate Winslet, Richard Gere, and Chloë Grace Moretz. But even that star power couldn't save the project from fan backlash.

In 2014, Berry transformed into Storm for the fourth time in "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (2014) (after which the role of Storm was taken over by the young actress Alexandra Shipp), and also got her own sci-fi series "Extant" (2014). It started off well and was even renewed for a second season, but that was the end of it.

Over the next decade, Berry rarely appeared on the big screen. Her most notable appearances included "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" and "John Wick: Chapter 3" with Keanu Reeves.

Halle Berry Training with Taran

But in 2020, Berry made her directorial debut with the sports drama "Bruised," where she also starred in the lead role. The story centers on an MMA fighter trying to regain custody of her son.

Initially, Berry auditioned for the lead role. When she first read the script, the character was written as a white Irish woman, with producers eyeing Blake Lively for the role. But Berry felt such a powerful connection to the character that she convinced them to give her the part instead.

Bruised - Official Trailer

The project was supposed to be directed by Nick Cassavetes, but it didn't work out. When no one else wanted to step behind the camera, studio executives suggested Berry take the helm.

Halle Berry's Personal Life

Actress Halle Berry was in a relationship with dentist John Ronan from 1989 to 1991. Several years after their split, her ex-boyfriend sued Halle, demanding repayment of his loans. He claimed he'd loaned Berry money to help launch her career. The court dismissed his claims.

In 1993, Halle married baseball player David Justice. Their marriage lasted until 1997. Berry walked down the aisle again in 2001, marrying musician Eric Benet. He pursued her for two years before she said "yes." But their marriage hit rocky ground, reportedly due to Eric's infidelity – he even sought treatment for sex addiction. They finalized their divorce in 2005.

Around this time, Halle met model Gabriel Aubry at a photo shoot. The couple did not rush to get married, but in 2008 their daughter Nahla Ariela was born. Two years later, their relationship ended. What followed was a messy, drawn-out custody battle. Aubry sought full custody and financial support from his ex. He prevented Halle from taking the girl to France, where Olivier Martinez, Halle's boyfriend at the time, lived. The drama played out publicly with restraining orders, media feuds, and even physical altercations between Olivier and Gabriel. Berry ultimately paid a settlement to end the conflict.

Halle and Martinez married in 2013, and that same year they became parents. They named the boy Maceo Robert. The couple filed for divorce in 2015, finalizing everything a year later. They've maintained a friendly co-parenting relationship.

In 2020, it became known that the actress was dating musician Van Hunt. Hunt is three years younger than Berry.

Halle Berry Now

In 2022, the actress could be seen in the sci-fi thriller "Moonfall" alongside Patrick Wilson. In 2023, she starred with Mark Wahlberg in the action movie "The Union." Netflix's sci-fi film "The Mothership," starring Berry, was originally slated for 2024. But in February, Netflix shelved the project after costly reshoots pushed it over budget. Halle has repeatedly said that at this stage of her life, she finds directing far more compelling than acting:

...I'm more inspired by the fact that we, women, feel confident enough to tell our stories. And we have a place where we can tell our stories. For too long, our experience has been conveyed through male perspectives.

Sam Wade

It would be cool to see Halle Berry as Storm in X-men. I like how it would look :)

2021-04-16 11:14:47
Betty Goodman

For me she will always be a catwoman but with Halle Berry I remeber only this film, honestly nothing else comes to my mind

2021-04-12 14:07:50
Jackson Caleb Richardson

I liked her very much in Gothika, very cool role, gentle and at the same time strong. It was a gold time when the film was released

2021-04-10 08:27:02
Jane Hansen

I remember I watched with her Catwoman and I was in shock, she is a cool actress.

2021-04-07 20:51:20
Nathaniel Adam Jenkins

Gothika is a cool movie, Berry is amazing there. And in the video for Limp Bizkit she starred on hype.

2021-01-16 19:35:19

Photos: Halle Berry

Halle Berry's Biography

Early Years

Acting Career

Halle Berry's Personal Life

Halle Berry Now