Before breaking into acting, Halle Berry was at the top of her high school class in every way. Attending Bedford High School, she was a cheerleader, honor student and Prom Queen, in addition to being the editor of the school newspaper. After high school, she attended community college, but ultimately never earned a degree.
In the 1980s, she became a successful beauty pageant contestant, becoming Miss Teen All American in 1985 and Miss Ohio USA in 1986. Following those competitions, she became the 1986 Miss USA first runner-up as depicted in this photo.
Halle Berry’s breakout role was in the 1991 Spike-Lee film Jungle Fever in which she played a small role as an addict named Vivian. Despite her limited screen time, Berry’s performance was raw, gritty, and unforgettable, showcasing her ability to fully embody a character and bring depth to even the most challenging roles.
That same year, she showed off her comedic chops, starring in the film Strictly Business. In the lighthearted romantic comedy, Berry played Natalie, a charismatic and ambitious club promoter who becomes the object of affection for a young, uptight businessman looking to loosen up and climb the corporate ladder.
In 1992, she appeared in the romantic comedy film Boomerang starring Eddie Murphy. In the film, Berry played Angela Lewis, a kind-hearted and down-to-earth art director who becomes the love interest of Murphy’s character, Marcus Graham, a suave and womanizing advertising executive.
Berry’s performance in Boomerang was both heartfelt and memorable, and her chemistry with Eddie Murphy was undeniable. And with Murphy in the leading role, the film was a success, earning an estimated $131 million at the box office and giving Halle Berry serious exposure.
In 1995, Halle Berry delivered one of the most critically acclaimed performances of her career in the emotionally charged drama Losing Isaiah. In the film, Berry portrayed Khaila Richards, a struggling mother battling addiction who is forced to give up her infant son, but after turning her life around, tries to regain custody of her son, Isaiah.
While the film was met with mixed reviews, Halle Berry proved her ability to give a nuanced performance as an actress, allowing her to take on more dramatic roles.
In 1999, Halle Berry reached a new milestone in her career with her groundbreaking performance in the HBO biopic Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. The film told the story of the first African American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Little did Berry know the role would foreshadow the trajectory of her own career. For her incredible performance, Halle Berry earned a Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Award.
In the 2001 film, Monster's Ball, Halle Berry played Leticia Musgrove, a grieving widow struggling to navigate life after the execution of her husband and the tragic loss of her son. While Berry's performance received critical acclaim, the film itself drew in a great deal of criticism for its depiction of a graphic love scene with Billy Bob Thornton.
Nevertheless, for her role in Monster's Ball, Halle Berry became the first African-American actress to earn an Academy Award. At that same ceremony, actor Denzel Washington won the Academy Award for Best Actor. In response to these wins, the NAACP issued a state statement: "Congratulations to Halle Berry and Denzel Washington for giving us hope and making us proud. If this is a sign that Hollywood is finally ready to give opportunity and judge performance based on skill and not on skin color then it is a good thing."
While the prospect of a standalone Catwoman film was initially exciting, the 2004 Catwoman film turned out to be a massive disappointment and proved a huge setback for Halle Berry's career. The film was panned for its nonsensical storyline and corny dialogue.
In a moment of recognition of her career mistake, Halle Berry graciously accepted, in person, her Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress at the 25th Golden Raspberry Awards Ceremony.
In 2007, Halle Berry received one of Hollywood’s most iconic honors: a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This milestone was a celebration of her incredible contributions to the entertainment industry and her status as one of the most accomplished and influential actresses of her generation.
The ceremony, held on Hollywood Boulevard, was a moment of pride and recognition for Berry, who had spent years breaking barriers and redefining what it meant to be a leading lady in Hollywood.
In 2009, Halle Berry tried her hand as a beauty entrepreneur with the launch of her very own fragrance line. The first fragrance, simply named Halle by Halle Berry, proved a huge success and led to further fragrances, including Pure Orchid and Reveal.
While her fragrances have since been discontinued, they are still available through third-party sellers such as Amazon and eBay.
For the 2020 film Bruised, Halle Berry made her directorial debut while also starring in the film as former UFC fighter Jackie "Pretty Bull" Justice.
While the film earned mixed reviews, most critics found it to be an impressive directorial debut nonetheless, and perhaps a sign of greater things to come.
