Halle Maria Berry (born August 14, 1966) is an American actress.
Berry was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She was named after Halle's Department Store, a local landmark. Although she is generally considered African American, she is biracial, with a white English-born mother, Judith Ann Hawkins, and a black American father, Jerome Berry. Berry's parents divorced when she was four years old and she was subsequently raised by her mother, a psychiatric-ward nurse. She has an older sister, Heidi.
Berry was a popular student at her high school and was a cheerleader, honor society member, editor of the school newspaper, class president, and prom queen. She subsequently attended Cuyahoga Community College.
Before becoming an actress, she entered several beauty contests including Miss Ohio USA, Miss Teen All American, Miss USA, and Miss World. Her talents as an actress have often been overshadowed by her physical beauty.
In the late 1980s, she went to Chicago to pursue a modeling career as well as acting. One of her first acting projects was a television series for local cable by Gordon Lake Productions called "Chicago Force."
Berry auditioned for a role in an updated Charlie's Angels television series by producer Aaron Spelling. At the time, Spelling wanted one of the "Angels" to be a woman of color. She did not get the role but she impressed Spelling with her skills. He encouraged her to continue perfecting her craft.
In 1989, Berry landed the role of brainy Emily Franklin in the ABC television series called Living Dolls. Her breakthrough feature film role was in Jungle Fever where she played a drug addict named Vivian. Her first co-starring role was in the film Strictly Business. Another one of her early roles was in a supporting capacity in the Flintstones movie where she played "Sharon Stone." She played the superhero Storm in 2000 in the successful film, X-Men and again in the more successful ' (2003). Gothika was the first film that she "carried," i.e., the film focusing entirely on her.
She won the best actress Oscar in 2002 for Monster's Ball, becoming the first African American woman to win this award. Interestingly, Berry had played Dorothy Dandridge, the first African American woman to be nominated for a best actress Academy Award, in HBO's Introducing Dorothy Dandridge in 1999. Another similarity the two women shared was being born in the same hospital.
In February 2000, she was involved in an automobile accident when she struck another vehicle after running a red light and left the scene before the police arrived. Berry, who had sustained a head injury, later stated she had no recollection of the accident and pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge. She paid a fine, made restitution to the other driver, performed community services, and was placed on three years’ probation.
Having long refused to do any nude scenes, much was made of her first topless scene in the film Swordfish, a thirty second scene for which she was allegedly paid an additional $500,000. She followed this with a more extended nude love scene in Monster's Ball. As Bond Girl Jinx in 2002's Die Another Day she famously recreated the scene from Dr. No, bursting from the surf - scantily clad - to be greeted by James Bond, as Ursula Andress did 40 years earlier.
Berry "won" a Razzie for her starring role in 2004's Catwoman. She made headlines by accepting her award in person, an unusual event that was last performed by Tom Green in 2001. Berry accepted her award with dignity, saying, "When I was a kid, my mother told me that if you could not be a good loser, then there's no way you could be a good winner" but adding "I hope to God I never see these people again!" shortly afterward.
Berry has been married twice. Her first marriage in 1992 to baseball player David Justice ended in a 1996 divorce. Her second marriage in 2001 to musician Eric Benét has resulted in a 2003 separation (and 2005 divorce) due to Benét's infidelity. She has never had children herself, but is close to her step-daughter India from her marriage to Benet, whom she legally adopted. She is currently dating Barbershop star Michael Ealy.
What has Halle Berry been voted by readers of Esquire magazine?
Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry is voted the sexiest woman alive, by readers of Esquire magazine. Published: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:21:50 GMT - Source: News.Bbc.Co.Uk - Read the article
Issues
Hannity falsely claimed "Obama can't point to a single instance in which ... Sean Hannity or talk radio" has "made an issue of Obama's race"
Four days after falsely suggesting that no
"prominent Republican" has "said that [Sen. Barack Obama] is
not patriotic, or that he's got a funny name," Sean Hannity claimed on
the August 4 edition of his
nationally syndicated radio program that Obama "can't
point to a single instance in which President Bush or [Sen. John] McCain or
[former White House senior adviser] Karl Rove or Sean Hannity or talk radio or
any other major Republican has made an issue of Obama's race." In
fact, as Media Matters for America
noted, Hannity
asserted on the March 2 edition of Fox News' Hannity's America: "As more is learned about
Barack Obama's positions, his past, and his affiliations, it seems that the
'change' candidate has all the same problems with race as those before
him," and later added, "It's only fair to ask: Do the Obamas have a
race problem of their own?"
Hannity has also repeatedly distorted what Michelle
Obama wrote in her 1985 Princeton University
senior thesis, taking the following phrase from the thesis out of
context to suggest that she has divisive views of race: "because of the
belief that Blacks must join in solidarity to combat a White oppressor." As Media Matters documented, the full paragraph in the
thesis makes clear that Obama was purporting to document attitudes among black Princeton alumni who attended the school in the '70s, and not asserting
her own views.
Media Matters has also
documented numerous examples of other radio and TV personalities making
"an issue of Obama's race."
Radio host Rush Limbaugh:
On the June 2 broadcast of his nationally
syndicated radio program, while discussing Obama's presidential candidacy,
Limbaugh asserted that the Democratic Party was "go[ing] with a veritable
rookie whose only chance of winning is that he's black."
On May 21, Limbaugh said that "Barack Obama is an affirmative action candidate." Speaking about 'feminazis,' " Limbaugh asserted: "They forgot affirmative action for black guys. And because of that, every bit of their plan has gone up in smoke now, because they -- if -- they had to come out in favor of affirmative action for black guys, and that's -- see, this is one of the things that really irritates the women. And there are women all over this country fit to be tied -- trust me on this. ... [L]iberals eventually are going to be devoured by their own policies. And it has happened here. Because Barack Obama is an affirmative action candidate." He concluded, "So, it's just -- they just forgot that one thing: affirmative action for black guys. And if they had remembered to oppose that, then they wouldn't face the situation they face today."
Limbaugh stated during his May 14
broadcast that "[i]f Barack Obama were Caucasian, they would have taken
this guy out on the basis of pure ignorance long ago."
On the January 24, 2007,
edition of his radio show, Limbaugh referred
to Obama and actress Halle Berry
as "Halfrican American[s]," stating that "Barack Obama has
picked up another endorsement: Halfrican American actress Halle Berry."
Limbaugh then said: " 'As a Halfrican American, I am honored to have Ms. Berry's support, as well
as the support of other Halfrican Americans,' Obama said." Limbaugh then
conceded that Obama "didn't say it."
Fox News contributor Monica Crowley:
Guest-hosting the June 23 broadcast of Talk Radio Network's The Laura Ingraham Show,
Crowley
forwarded a wholly unsubstantiated smear that Obama has lied about his
ethnicity. A caller to the show claimed that Obama is "not really
African-American. He's Arab. Forty-three percent Arab, 6 percent African negro,
and half white. And that is the biggest fraud being perpetrated on us
all." In response, Crowley said that "according to this genealogy --
and again, because I haven't done the research, I can't verify this -- but
according to this guy Kenneth Lamb, Barack Obama is not black African, he is
Arab African." Crowley
continued: "And yet, this guy is campaigning as black and painting anybody
who dares to criticize him as a racist. I mean, that is -- it is the biggest
con I think I've ever seen."
Radio hosts Melanie Morgan and Brian
Sussman
On the December 4, 2006, broadcast of San Francisco radio
station KSFO's Sussman, Morgan & Vic,
in speaking to a co-host -- apparently Sussman -- Morgan referred to Obama as
an, "as you call, 'Halfrican.' " Sussman responded, "Halfrican
... his father was from Kenya,
his mother's white." He added that, "in my opinion -- 'cause my
opinion is your average white guy," Obama "is not allowed to wear the
African-American badge because his family are not the descendants of slaves,
OK? He can't identify with the discrimination and the slavery and all of that
that's gone into these black families for generations."
Sussman also said, "I have ... nothing against
mixed-race people," but later added, "I get offended and I know I
have many black friends who get offended when he [Obama] stands in front of
that black audience talking like he's from the hood, born and raised, and ...
can identify with all of their issues. He can't!"
Radio host John Gibson:
On the June 6 edition of his Fox News Radio
show, Gibson said to a caller who spoke favorably of Obama: "You don't
know what Barack Obama stands for. You just like him because he's -- he's --
he's like you and you want to see one of you up there, and you don't care what
he stands for." The caller responded: "[H]e's not one of me. ... He's
not one of me just because he's a black guy or something like that. That
doesn't make him one of me. He's standing for him, not me."
During the April 9 broadcast of his radio show,
Gibson told a caller, "[Y]ou are the third or fourth caller in a row who
is -- has identified yourself to [associate producer] Christine as
African-American. And when I talk to you, you obviously are smart, well-educated,
well-read, and all that, and I think that your loyalty to Obama here is an
issue that goes beyond the issues." When the caller asserted, "No,
it's not -- it's not beyond the issues," Gibson said, "It is a racial
solidarity bond you have with Obama. Tell me -- I dare you to deny that."
Moments later, Gibson added: "You're sticking with Obama, because he's ...
he's a brother." Gibson also asserted about Obama: "He is lying to
your face but he knows you are so -- you so identify with him on the basis of
race, you will not even see the lies."
CNN Headline News host Glenn Beck:
On the February 12, 2007,
broadcast of his
nationally syndicated radio show, Beck featured Philadelphia-based conservative
radio host Dom Giordano,
who claimed that "the mainstream media has dubbed [Obama] to be
African-American" and said, "If you start to, you know, delve around
the edges, say, 'Wait a minute, isn't he mixed race? Weren't we told that last
year?' Or whatever, biracial. Not allowed to say that anymore." Beck
responded by saying "he's very white in many ways," adding, "Gee,
can I even say that? Can I even say that without somebody else starting a
campaign saying, 'What does he mean, "He's very white?" ' He is. He's
very white."
After the interview, Beck attempted to clarify his comments
to executive producer and head writer of The
Glenn Beck Program, Steve Burguiere, who is known on- air as
"Stu." Beck claimed that Obama "is colorless," adding that
"as a white guy ...
[y]ou don't notice that he is black. So he might as well be white, you know
what I mean?" In addition, Beck said: "I guarantee you, there will be
blogs today that will have me being a racist because I say that."
On the January 25 edition
of his CNN Headline News program, Beck asserted: "[I]f [Sen.] Hillary
Clinton wants to be consistent, I believe, affirmative action, she should give
Barack Obama an additional five
percentage points just for the years of oppression."
From the August 5 broadcast of ABC Radio Networks' The Sean Hannity Show:
HANNITY: But I think they made a
real tactical mistake here by playing the race card the way they did.
It's -- because Senator McCain has gone out of his way not to do this.
You know, they're making the argument that Obama is a risky choice for
president. And that is the right argument to make because he doesn't have
experience. And after all, if Obama had his way, we would already have been
defeated in Iraq.
We would have lost a major war. That's a risky experiment.
You know, when Obama says
they're going to scare Americans by saying that he doesn't look
like all those presidents on dollar bills, he can't mean anything other
than race. In fact, Obama tipped his hand when he said it back in June:
"Oh, and did I mention he's black?"
Obama can't point to a single instance
in which President Bush or McCain or Karl Rove or Sean Hannity or talk radio or
any other major Republican has made an issue of Obama's race.
As for his name, earlier in the
campaign, when my buddy Bill Cunningham in Cincinnati, great American that he is,
criticized -- he was criticized by McCain for saying Barack Hussein Obama. The
only one that keeps bringing up Obama's middle name is Barack Obama. So
the charge is without merit. And it is his name, by the way.
Published: Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:41:29 GMT - Source: Mediamatters.Org - Read the article
News}
Berry anger over baby photographs
Actress Halle Berry accuses a paparazzi photographer of trespassing onto her property to get shots of her baby. Published: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:51:36 GMT - Source: News.Bbc.Co.Uk - Read the article
