|
Halle Berry Profile |
|
-
Birth Date: August 14, 1966
-
Birth Place: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
-
Birth Name: Halle Maria Berry
-
Height: 5'7"
|
|
|
Biography |
Born on August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio, Halle Maria
Berry and her older sister Heidi were raised by their mother
Judith, a psychiatric ward nurse. Halle's father walked out
on the family when she was only 4 years old.
Although living in a single-parent household was somewhat
tough, Halle's mom managed to move the family out of the
inner-city neighborhood and into the suburbs of Cleveland.
But because the neighborhood was predominantly white, Halle
and her sister were treated cruelly because of their dark
skin.
Determined not to let the color of her skin get the best of
her, Halle made it a point to make friends, and her dream of
becoming an actress had already begun to surface.
By the time Halle reached high school, she was a
cheerleader, an honor society member, editor of the school
paper, and class president. Not surprisingly, she was
crowned her high school's prom queen.
In 1983, when she was only 17 years old, Halle's
then-boyfriend entered her name in the Miss Teen Ohio beauty
pageant. Once again, it's no surprise that Halle got to wear
the crown in that competition.
But it didn't stop there: Halle won many other high-profile
competitions, including Miss Teen All-American, Miss USA
(first runner-up) and Miss World. Once she was done raking
in points by winning pageant after pageant, Halle continued
her education at Cleveland's Cuyahoga Community College in
1986, studying broadcast journalism.
Unfortunately, Halle didn't complete her degree -- she left
the program to pursue a more glamorous career in modeling,
and started studying acting in Chicago. Although Halle
auditioned for Aaron Spelling for a part in Charlie's Angels
and didn't get the part, Spelling encouraged Halle to pursue
her dreams of being an actress.
Halle moved to Manhattan, where she immediately landed her
first TV gig in Living Dolls. Although the show was
short-lived, Halle was more determined than ever to become a
great actress.
Halle got her first big break in 1991 when Spike Lee cast
her as a crack-addicted woman in Jungle Fever, co-starring
Samuel L. Jackson. Halle was so determined to execute the
role perfectly that she actually interviewed real addicts
and stopped bathing 10 days before filming the racially
charged film.
Soon after, Halle reverted back to television; she had a
recurring role on the popular primetime soap opera Knots
Landing in 1991.
But the big screen was where Halle wanted to be and she soon
landed another part, this time playing Damon Wayans' exotic
girlfriend in the film The Last Boy Scout (1991), which also
starred Bruce Willis.
As with her Jungle Fever role, Halle delved into this role
wholeheartedly, so much so that she convinced a Hollywood
strip club owner to let her dance onstage.
In 1992, Halle landed a starring role opposite none other
than the man of comedy himself, Eddie Murphy, in Boomerang.
In 1993, she married Atlanta Braves right fielder David
Justice. Unfortunately, the marriage was short-lived and
they divorced in 1996.
Next, Berry decided to take a lighter acting job and starred
in the 1994 movie The Flintstones, but her riveting
big-screen role as an illiterate addict who abandons her
child in a garbage can in 1995's Losing Isaiah shot her star
up high.
Unfortunately for Halle, she missed a great opportunity when
she passed up the lead role in the film Speed, which
ultimately worked wonders for Sandra Bullock's career.
Other movies that Halle starred in include Executive
Decision (1996), Race the Sun (1996), B*A*P*S (1997),
Bulworth (1998), and Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, for
which she won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for Best Actress in
a Miniseries or TV movie.
In 2000, Halle starred as Storm/Ororo Munroe in the live
film adaptation of the cartoon strip X-Men -- along with
fellow mutants Rebecca Romijn and Famke Janssen.
Berry also returned to modeling as a spokeperson for Revlon.
And because Halle was diagnosed with diabetes, she became an
avid volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes Association.
Unfortunately, Berry made headlines when she was charged
with a hit and run in 2000. She pleaded no contest and the
judge ordered her to perform 200 hours of community service.
She also made news when she was allegedly paid a $500,000
bonus to reveal her breasts in a scene in 2001's hacker
film, Swordfish.
In 2001, Halle married soul singer Eric Benet, but the
couple divorced in 2003.
2001 wasn't all bad for Halle, however. She received the
2002 SAG award for Best Actress in Monster's Ball and made
history at the Oscars as the first black actress to receive
a Best Actress Academy Award. Her Oscar triumph cemented her
as an A-list actress.
But that didn't mean Halle was giving up action
blockbusters: She appeared as Bond Girl Jinx in the film Die
Another Day (2002), as well as in X2 (2003), the second
installment of the X-Men franchise.
Next, Halle appeared in the psychological thriller Gothika
(2003) and in Catwoman (2004), which was panned by critics.
Later that year, Halle made headlines again when her
allegedly abusive ex-lover was revealed as Wesley Snipes,
although Halle herself never confirmed this.
In 2005, Halle appeared in the TV movie Their Eyes Were
Watching God and lent her voice to the animated film Robots.
Her projects for 2006 include the third X-Men installment,
X-Men: The Final Stand and the thriller Perfect Stranger.
Halle was also named the new face of Versace. During a
photoshoot for the designer, Halle met her current
boyfriend, top model Gabriel Aubry. |
|
|
Other
Information |
Is a spokeswoman for Revlon cosmetics.
She was placed on three years probation and ordered to pay
$13,500 in fines and penalties after pleading no contest on
May 10 2000 to a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of
a traffic accident. The judge also ordered the actress to
perform 200 hours of community service and to make
restitution as determined by the outcome of civil litigation
arising from the February accident when she was driving a
rented Chevrolet Blazer and 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. Halle
reported the accident to a police officer at the hospital
where she sought treatment.
Is diabetic
Her parents, Judith & Jerome Berry, divorced when she was 4
years old. She was then raised by her mom. When researching
for her role of Dorothy Dandridge, she discovered that she
and Dorothy were both born in the same Cleveland, Ohio
hospital.
One of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People." [1998]
Miss USA; first runner-up to Christy Fichtner who was on the
first season of "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?" (2004). [1986]
Miss Ohio USA. [1986]
Miss Teen All American. [1985]
Attended Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, Ohio.
Turned down the role of Annie in Speed (1994).
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).
In high school, was an honor society member, editor of the
school paper, and class president. Was also crowned prom
queen.
Born at 9:03 p.m EST
Lost some hearing in one of her ears due to a physical
encounter with a boyfriend in the early 90s.
Attended Heskett Middle School in Bedford, Ohio.
First African American actress to win the Oscar for Best
Actress.
Has a step-daughter named India.
Sister Heidi b. 1964; is estranged from Halle.
April 10, 2002 - She received an injury on the set of _Die
Another Day (2002)_ . Halle was injured on location in
Cadiz, Spain while shooting an action sequence that involved
Pierce Brosnan firing on a helicopter being flown by Rick
Yune.
Portrayed Dorothy Dandridge in the made for television film
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999) (TV). Dorothy Dandridge
was the first African- American woman to be nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Actress and coincidentally Halle
Berry is the first to have won in that category.
Was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" by People
Magazine in 2002.
Graduate of Bedford High School, Bedford, Ohio
First black American in the Miss World Competition. She
didn't win a prize but her dress did.
She is the only official "Bond Girl" to win an Academy
Award. Although Kim Basinger (Best Supporting Actress, L.A.
Confidential (1997)) was a "Bond Girl", Never Say Never
Again (1983) is not included in the list of 20 official
James Bond films.
Her dress for the 2002 Oscars ceremony was voted the most
popular from the first 75 years.
Ranked #96 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List.
Named one of the 50 most beautiful people in People Magazine
in 2003. She has now appeared on this list seven times.
Voted the 10th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian
Empire Magazine September 2002.
Starred in three movies with Hugh Jackman: X-Men (2000),
Swordfish (2001) and X2 (2003).
May 2003 - Broke her arm on the set of Gothika (2003),
filming in Montreal.
Measurements: 36C-22-37 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Was a Bearcats cheerleader at Bedford High School.
Became engaged to singer 'Eric Benet' on 14 August 1999.
Benet has a daughter, India (b. 1991).
Half British on her mother's side.
The first actress to star and portray two different comic
book characters for two different comic book companies:
"Storm" for Marvel's X-Men (2000) and X2 (2003), and "Catwoman"
for D.C Comics's Catwoman (2004).
She is currently the highest paid black actress in
Hollywood. [2004]
Named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" in People
Magazine in 2004. She has now appeared on this list eight
times, tying with Julia Roberts for the most appearances.
Voted as #7 on the "Top 100 Sexiest Women 2004" in FHM [DK].
Named one of the Top 10 authentic beauties in 2004. She was
in the seventh rank in that list.
Played a character called "Sharon Stone" in The Flintstones
(1994). Ten years later she appeared with the real Sharon
Stone in Catwoman (2004).
Wisely turned down the female lead in box office disaster
Gigli (2003), which birthed the relationship of Ben Affleck
and Jennifer Lopez.
Smashed her head into set lights on the set of Catwoman
(2004). She wasn't seriously injured.
Adopted a cat (that was originally an extra for Catwoman
(2004)) named Playto, to help herself learn about cats.
However, she renamed the cat Playdough, because Playto was
too serious a name for her.
Her first $1 million salary for a film was for Executive
Decision (1996) - a part which she earlier refused.... until
she was offered $1 million.
Voted #7 on VH1's "100 Hottest Hotties."
Ranked #15 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the
World" (2002).
The age difference between herself and Rosamund Pike in Die
Another Day (2002) - 12 years and 5 months - is the greatest
age difference between two Bond girls in one film since
Alison Doody and Grace Jones - a difference of 18 years - in
A View to a Kill (1985).
Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2004 Razzie Award
nominating ballot. She was suggessted in the Worst Actress
category for her performance in the film Gothika (2003), she
failed to receive a nomination however. The very next year
though, she got a nomination for Worst Actress in the film
Catwoman (2004).
On Febuary 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."
One of only three actresses, along with Faye Dunaway and
Liza Minnelli, to win both the Academy Award for Best
Actress and the Razzie Award for Worst Actress (Dunaway
shared her award with Bo Derek).
Frequently hailed as one of Hollywood's best dressed stars.
Was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" by People
Magazine in 2005
Voted #1 on BET's "All Shades of Fine: The 25 Hottest Women
of the Past 25 Years" (2005)
Her favorite actresses are Dorothy Dandridge, Jodie Foster
and Whoopi Goldberg.
Named #41 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.
Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals' 2006 Woman
of the Year
Was born in Cleveland but grew up in Elyria, Ohio. She still
has family there. |
|
|
|
