Biography

Halle Maria Berry was born Maria Halle Berry on August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Bedford, Ohio to Judith Ann (Hawkins), a psychiatric nurse, and Jerome Jesse Berry, a hospital attendant. Her father was African-American and her mother is of mostly English and German descent. Halle first came into the spotlight at seventeen years when she won the Miss Teen All-American Pageant, representing the state of Ohio in 1985 and, a year later in 1986, when she was the first runner-up in the Miss U.S.A. Pageant. After participating in the pageant, Halle became a model. It eventually led to her first weekly TV series, 1989's Living Dolls (1989), where she soon gained a reputation for her on-set tenacity, preferring to "live" her roles and remaining in character even when the cameras stopped rolling. It paid off though when she reportedly refused to bathe for several days before starting work on her role as a crack addict in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever (1991) because the role provided her big screen breakthrough. The following year, she was cast as Eddie Murphy's love interest in Boomerang (1992), one of the few times that Murphy was evenly matched on screen. In 1994, Berry gained a youthful following for her performance as sexy secretary "Sharon Stone" in The Flintstones (1994). She next had a highly publicized starring role with Jessica Lange in the adoption drama Losing Isaiah (1993). Though the movie received mixed reviews, Berry didn't let that slow her down, and continued down her path to super-stardom.

In 1998, she received critical success when she starred as a street smart young woman who takes up with a struggling politician in Warren Beatty's Bulworth (1998). The following year, she won even greater acclaim for her role as actress Dorothy Dandridge in made-for-cable's Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999), for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Movie/Mini-Series. In 2000, she received box office success in X-Men (2000) in which she played "Storm", a mutant who has the ability to control the weather. In 2001, she starred in the thriller Swordfish (2001), and became the first African-American to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards, for her role as a grieving mother in the drama Monster's Ball (2001).

- IMDb Mini Biography By: TrendEkiD@aol.com

Short spikey pixie hairstyle

Was placed on three years probation and ordered to pay $13,500 in fines and penalties after pleading no contest on 5/20/2000 to a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of a traffic accident. The judge also ordered her to perform 200 hours of community service and make restitution as determined by the outcome of civil litigation arising from the February accident when she was driving a rented Chevrolet Blazer, ran a red light and crashed into another car on Sunset Boulevard. She left the scene of the accident before authorities arrived, suffered a gash to her head that required 20 stitches to close, and the woman (Hetal Raythatha) driving the other vehicle broke her wrist. Berry reported the accident to a police officer at the hospital where she sought treatment.

Her parents, Judith Ann Hawkins and Jerome Jesse Berry, divorced when she was four years old. She was raised by her mother. When researching for her role of Dorothy Dandridge, she discovered that she and Dorothy were both born in the same Cleveland (OH) hospital.

At Miss USA: placed 1st runner-up to Christy Fichtner, who was on the first season of Who Wants to Marry My Dad? (2003) (1986).

Attended Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, OH.

Is named after the grand old Halle Building in Cleveland, Ohio, which originally housed the Halle Brothers department store. The building is now an office building and the fictional setting for the Winfred-Louder department store on The Drew Carey Show (1995).

Lost some hearing in one of her ears due to a physical encounter with a boyfriend in the early 1990s.

As of 2023, she is the first of only two women of color to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. The second is Michelle Yeoh, who won the award twenty-one years later for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). Berry presented the award to Yeoh with Jessica Chastain.

On 4/10/2002 she received an injury on the set of Die Another Day (2002) on location in Cadiz, Spain, while shooting an action sequence that involved Pierce Brosnan firing on a helicopter being flown by Rick Yune.

In 2002 named one of "People" magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World.

Was the first black American in the Miss World Competition. She did not win a prize but her dress did.

Her dress for the 2002 Oscars ceremony was voted the most popular from the first 75 years.

Named one of "People" magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 2003.

Starred in six movies with Hugh Jackman: X-Men (2000), Swordfish (2001) X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Movie 43 (2013) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).

Was a Bearcats cheerleader at Bedford High School in Ohio.

Is the first actress to play two different comic book characters for two different comic book companies: Storm in Marvel's X-Men (2000) films, and Catwoman in DC Comics' Catwoman (2004).

Named one of "People" magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 2004.k This was the eighth time she appeared on this list eight times, tying with Julia Roberts for the most appearances.

Has played a character called Sharon Stone in The Flintstones (1994). Ten years later, she appeared with the real Sharon Stone in Catwoman (2004).

Smashed her head into set lights on the set of Catwoman (2004) but was not seriously injured.

Her first $1-million salary was for Executive Decision (1996)--a role she earlier refused until she was offered $1 million.

Ranked #15 in "Stuff" magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" in 2002.

On 2/26/2005 she showed up in person to accept the Razzie Award for Worst Actress for her role as Catwoman (2004) and became the first actress to do so. Accepting the award, Berry smiled and said "Thank you and I hope to God I never see you guys again.".

Named one of "People" magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 2005.

Ranked #41 on "Maxim" magazine's Hot 100 Women of 2005 list.

Was born in Cleveland but grew up in Oakwood Village, OH. She still has family there.

Ranked #7 on "Maxim" magazine's Hot 100 Women of 2002 list.

Ranked #6 in "FHM" magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement.

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Blvd. on 4/3/07.

Is an active participant with the Jenesee Center (for abused women and children) in Los Angeles.

Saved from choking on a fig by Pierce Brosnan during shooting of the love scene on Cuba for Die Another Day (2002).

Studies acting under Ivana Chubbuck.

Was given her Oscar-winning role of Leticia Musgrove in Monster's Ball (2001) after both Angela Bassett and Vanessa Williams turned the role down.

When she "won" the Razzie® Award as Worst Actress of 2004 for Catwoman (2004), she became the first Oscar winner ever to attend and accept her Razzie Award in person.

Returned to work eight months after giving birth to her daughter Nahla in order to begin filming Frankie & Alice (2010).

Canceled her appearance on the Oscars on 2/26/12 due to her broken foot.

Lived in Cape Town, South Africa, with her daughter Nahla and ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry while filming Dark Tide (2012) (July-September 2010).

On 7/13/13 she married for the third time, to boyfriend of two years Olivier Martinez following a 17-month-long engagement.

Met husband-to-be Olivier Martinez on the set of Dark Tide (2012).

Was the 121st actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Actress Oscar for Monster's Ball (2001) at The 74th Annual Academy Awards (2002) on March 24, 2002.

In 11/16 she re-launched her lingerie line Scandale.

Met Alex da Kid through friends in the entertainment industry. [September 2017]

Gave birth to her first child at 41.

Has two Barbie dolls made in her likeness: The first was for her character Jinx Johnson from Die Another Day (2002) as part of the Bond Girls Collection, and the second is her character Patience Phillips / Catwoman from Catwoman (2004).

Has dual US and UK citizenship.

On Dorothy Dandridge: ...You have to find a way to be sad on every day, in every scene, in every moment. And always try to hide the sadness. And (then) you'll get the essence of who she was.

On choosing both serious and popcorn-movie roles: There's art and there's commerce. You have to find a way to mesh the two. It's important to do the little movies just for the love of the art. But it's those big movies that take you around the world and make you globally famous.

I was black growing up in an all-white neighborhood, so I felt like I just didn't fit in. Like I wasn't as good as everybody else, or as smart, or whatever.

I spent a lot of time with a crown on my head.

I don't see a white woman. I see a black woman, even though my mother is white [her father Jerome is black]. Knowing that has made my life easier, I think.

What is my real purpose here? I've looked at what I do. I make believe and make movies. I entertain people and get paid for it. Sometimes it seems like such a shallow existence. How insignificant in the scheme of life.

I never wanted to be a model. My modeling career was nothing but a stepping stone to my acting career and that's all I ever saw it as. A pointless rock in the river that has to be stepped on in order to get to the meaningful oasis of acting.

(On receiving a film festival award while pregnant) I am three times the girl I used to be. This is the second red carpet where I didn't have to think about sucking in my stomach - because I can't!

I once was stupid enough to say, in a previous relationship, "I'm going to be with this person forever", and realised, as I grew, that I don't know if forever is possible.

When you have children, you get to see things all over again. So I've never laughed as hard, I've never done more silly things. And I go to great lengths to make my daughter laugh.

[on her evolving style and archiving her clothes] My style has evolved in a nice way, but everyone has bad moments. Someone just showed me a photo from the '80s in which I was wearing a polka-dot and flower-print suit with puffy sleeves. At the time I thought I was stylin'! But no.

[on having short hair] I think I am at my best when my hair is short. It's easier to take care of and more of who I am. Women are conditioned to think we need long hair. I see that happening with my daughter. She is so in love with her hair right now. She says, "Look, Mommy - it's so long!". As women, we think it defines us, and we learn that at a young age.

I'm a hopeless romantic - and I won't stop until I get it right!

[on modeling for her lingerie line at 50 years old] The big FIVE OH has taught me to be FEARLESS! I'm about to launch a lingerie line at 50. Here's what I know for sure...it's never too early or too late to do what EVER makes you happy.

[on the lack of diversity at 2015 Academy Awards]I profoundly hurt by that and saddened by that, and it inspired me to try to get involved in other ways. Which is why I want to start directing. I want to start producing more, I want to start being a part of making more opportunities for people of color.