Who is Halle Berry? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Halle Maria Berry, Maria Halle Berry

Age: 58 Years, 58 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: David Justice (m. 1993–1997), Eric Benét (m. 2001–2005), Olivier Martinez (m. 2013–2016)

father: Jerome Jesse Berry

mother: Judith Ann Hawkins

children: Maceo Robert Martinez, Nahla Ariela Aubry

Born Country: United States

Illuminati Members African American Women

Personality: ISFJ

U.S. State: Ohio

Grouping of People: African American Actresses

Notable Alumni: Cuyahoga Community College

Ancestry: British American

City: Cleveland, Ohio

Diseases & Disabilities: Depression

More Facts

education: Cuyahoga Community College

Recommended For You

1

What are some of Halle Berry's most iconic movie roles?

Some of Halle Berry's most iconic movie roles include Storm in the X-Men franchise, Leticia Musgrove in Monster's Ball, and Jinx Johnson in Die Another Day.
2

How did Halle Berry break barriers in Hollywood?

Halle Berry broke barriers in Hollywood by becoming the first African American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Monster's Ball.
3

What are some of Halle Berry's fitness secrets?

Halle Berry's fitness secrets include following a ketogenic diet, practicing boxing and martial arts, and prioritizing self-care and rest.
4

Has Halle Berry ever directed a film?

Yes, Halle Berry made her directorial debut with the film "Bruised," in which she also stars as the lead character.
5

What social causes is Halle Berry passionate about?

Halle Berry is passionate about advocating for domestic violence survivors, supporting women's rights and empowerment, and raising awareness about mental health issues.

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Childhood & Early Life

Halle Berry was born on August 14, 1966, in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, to Judith Ann, a psychiatric nurse, and Jerome Jesse Berry, a hospital attendant. She is of mixed ancestry—her mother was of English and German origin, while her father was an African American. She has an elder sister.

Her father abandoned the family when Halle was very young and she was raised by her mother in a predominantly white neighborhood. She had to face racism while growing up.

She attended ‘Bedford High School’ before enrolling at ‘Cuyahoga Community College’ to study broadcast journalism. As a student, she was very active in extra-curricular activities and also served as the head cheerleader and class president.

As a teenager, she participated in several beauty pageants and won the ‘Miss Teen All American’ in 1985 and ‘Miss Ohio USA’ in 1986.

She was adjudged the first runner-up in the ‘Miss USA’ pageant in 1986. This success inspired her to quit her studies and pursue a career as a fashion model.

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Career

She moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting in 1989. She struggled a lot initially and even had to live in a homeless shelter for a short while. She was offered a role in the television series ‘Living Dolls.’ Unfortunately, ‘ABC’ network canceled the series after twelve episodes.

She made her film debut in 1991, when she played a minor role in Spike Lee’s ‘Jungle Fever.’ In the movie, she played a drug addict named ‘Vivian,’ and her acting skills got her noticed.

She played the title role in ‘Alex Haley’s Queen,’ a television miniseries that was aired in three installments in February 1993, on ‘CBS.’ She played a strong-minded biracial woman in the series for which she was greatly appreciated.

In 1995, she played drug addict ‘Khaila Richards’ in ‘Losing Isaiah.’ The movie revolves around a cocaine-addicted woman who abandons her infant only to engage in a long custodial battle later on.

Her other movies in the 1990s, include ‘Executive Decision’ (1996), ‘B.A.P.S’ (1997) and ‘Bulworth’ (1998).

She was chosen to play ‘Dorothy Dandridge’ in Martha Coolidge’s television film ‘Introducing Dorothy Dandridge’ in 1999. In the movie, she portrayed the first black woman to be nominated for the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress.’ This role won Halle several awards.

In the 2000 superhero film ‘X-Men,’ Halle played ‘Storm,’ who can manipulate the weather. The film was a critical as well as a commercial hit.

She received her breakthrough role in 2001, when she was cast to play ‘Leticia Musgrove’ in the romantic drama film ‘Monster’s Ball.’ Her performance in the movie was highly appreciated and she won several awards for it.

In 2003, she played a psychiatrist in the supernatural thriller ‘Gothika’ in which her character is accused of committing a murder. The film was a moderate success.

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Over the next few years, she acted in movies like ‘Catwoman’ (2004), ‘Robots’ (2005), and ‘Perfect Stranger’ (2007). But none of these films performed well.

She played ‘Frankie’ in ‘Frankie & Alice’ (2010) in which she portrayed a woman who suffers from dissociative identity disorder and has two alters. She received numerous awards and nominations for this role.

She played multiple roles in the 2012 science fiction film ‘Cloud Atlas.’ Directed by The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer, the film had Tom Hanks, Ben Whishaw, and Jim Broadbent playing important roles.

She reprised her role as ‘Storm’ in the 2014 superhero film ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past.’ In 2016, she made an appearance in the stand-up comedy concert film ‘Kevin Hart: What Now?’ The following year, she played the role of an agent in a movie titled ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle.’

In 2017, she also appeared as a working class mother during the 1992 Los Angeles riots in ‘Kings.’ In 2019, she played ‘Sofia’ in Chad Stahelski-directed neo-noir action thriller film ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.’

Major Works

She is best known for her role as ‘Leticia Musgrove’ in ‘Monster’s Ball’ in which she played a woman whose husband is on death row. This movie won her widespread acclaim and made her one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood.

Her portrayal of a popular real-life stripper and dancer who suffers from dissociative identity disorder in the movie ‘Frankie & Alice’ is one of her most critically acclaimed roles.

Awards & Achievements

Halle Berry was presented the ‘Primetime Emmy Award’ for ‘Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie’ for her role in the television film ‘Introducing Dorothy Dandridge’ in 1999.

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She won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her role in ‘Monster’s Ball.’ She also won ‘Black Reel Award’ for ‘Best Actress,’ and ‘BET Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for the same role.

Personal Life & Legacy

Halle Berry married baseball player David Justice in 1993. When the marriage ended in divorce in 1997, she started dating musician Eric Benet and got married to him in 2001. However, her marriage with Benet ended in divorce in 2005.

She was in a relationship with model Gabriel Aubry with whom she had a daughter. She broke up with Aubry in 2010.

She married actor Olivier Martinez in France on July 13, 2013, and the couple was blessed with a son on October 2013. Halle and Olivier Martinez got divorced in 2016.

In 2017, she dated music producer Alexander Grant. Since September 2020, she has been romatically linked to singer and music producer Van Hunt.

Facts About Halle Berry

Halle Berry was a high school cheerleader and prom queen before pursuing a career in acting.

She holds the distinction of being the first African-American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress.

In addition to her acting talents, Halle Berry is also a passionate advocate for domestic violence victims and has supported various charitable causes over the years.

She is known for her love of outdoor activities, such as hiking and camping, and values staying physically active.

Halle Berry is fluent in American Sign Language and has used her skills to communicate with deaf fans and promote inclusivity in the entertainment industry.

Halle Berry Biography

You wanted to know

What are some of Halle Berry's most iconic movie roles?

How did Halle Berry break barriers in Hollywood?

What are some of Halle Berry's fitness secrets?

Has Halle Berry ever directed a film?

What social causes is Halle Berry passionate about?