Back to the mutants this month. This time we’re talking about one of the most beautiful women in the world who could only ever be cast as an outsider because in reality she’s drop dead wonderful. Halle Berry oozes grace and over the years she’s managed to be everything from a superhero to a Bond Girl to a history-making award winner. Now let’s get to why you can’t seem to hate this woman.
Name: Halle Maria Berry
Birthday: August 14, 1966
Place of Birth: Cleveland, OH
Best Known For
While one of the most recognizable faces in movies today, Halle Berry actually got her start on the small screen back in 1989 as part of the cast of Living Dolls. From there she jumped from A Different World to Knots Landing before taking a major step back in time to be a part of The Flintstones movie in 1994. She’d proven she could go for a laugh, but started to get serious alongside Jessica Lange in Losing Isaiah. Come the late ‘90s she was back to the silly with B*A*P*S and Bulworth. Then at the new millennium she was all the rage when she scored the role of Storm in X-Men, a part she’s played for almost 15 years now. Of course she also made headlines for showing off a lot in Swordfish and then going all the way to the Oscar stage thanks 2001’s Monster’s Ball. Of course a career wouldn’t be complete without some duds and we can all agree Catwoman and Cloud Atlas are among hers. Nevertheless, Berry returned to TV in 2014 with Extant and, while it had some fans, it failed to garner a second season. Now her lovers will just have to wait until next year’s Kidnap to see her again.
5 Quick Halle Berry Facts
- She was not only prom queen but a member of the Honor Society — beauty and brains.
- In 1999 Halle played Dorothy Dandridge in an HBO movie. Dandridge was the first African-American woman to be nominated for Best Actress as the Oscars, and lo and behold — Berry was the first to actually win it!
- Remember when we mentioned she had brains? Well, it’s true. She turned down the lead role in that box office horror show Gigli.
- She and Hugh Jackman have been in six movies together, and not all of them have been X-Men related.
- Justin Timberlake could’ve been hers, but he never called her back.
Reasons You Love Halle Berry
There are two types of people who absolutely adore Halle Berry: nerds and thespians. We’re not counting the hordes of humans who just find her highly attractive because that’s anyone with at least one working eye. Back to the two, nerds love her because of the obvious, and thespians are inspired by her work — even the roles that aren’t so great.
Like all superheroes, Storm existed long before the movies ever did and when she came onto the scene she was one of the first black ones as well the first black female main character. So when you think about loving the character of Storm and the woman who brought her to the big screen, you’re loving more than the mutant — you’re loving a history maker. You love her so much in fact that you can laugh about the fact that the woman who played your favorite X-Men also played a less than purrfect Catwoman.
Then there are those of you who are actors who find true inspiration from Berry’s work. Yes, you’ve seen her Marvel moments but those are just to have fun. The movies you’ve really sunk your teeth into are the dramatics. You may have first saw the light in her despair in Losing Isaiah and then continued to follow her through her award-winning ride as Dorothy Dandridge. Hell, she even introduced you to an old school actress you may’ve never heard of because of that role. Then of course you knew she was top notch and your hero when she owned every second of Monster’s Ball. She’s your class act, and that’s a huge fact.
Whether you love her heroic moments or her serious side, it’s clear that no matter what Halle Berry is doing — she’s making immense strides and causing fans to adore her along the way no matter what.
Reasons I Love Halle Berry
My mom is obsessed with Losing Isaiah. It may have something to do with it being about a white lady that bonds with a little black kid, but anyways, that movie has been a staple in my life for a long time and while I appreciate it, that’s not why I love Halle Berry. Neither is her voice work in Robots or being a part of Bulworth — which created one of the best songs of my adolescence. All my love for Berry is in two movies: The Flintstones and B*A*P*S.
One of my favorite movies to watch based on visuals alone is The Flintstones. Even today, I think it holds up and it was successful in taking an amazing cartoon and bringing to to reality without losing the integrity of the characters or the world they lived in. I also remember wanting to be as pretty as Miss Stone when I was little. The other movie is just one of those I can’t help but love. It’s like my insane love of The Hot Chick and Bubble Boy. If B*A*P*S is on, I’m going to watch it. No matter how ridiculous is may seem and look, it’s a hilarious movie with some heart. I ensure you, check it out.
Halle Berry is an inspiration in many respects and while I admire her for what she’s done, my love for her will always be due to one movie that never fails to impress and another that can always make me laugh.
