Halle Berry was born on August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA to African American father Jerome Berry, a former hospital attendant, and Caucasian mother Judith Berry, a retired psychiatric nurse. Halle also has an older sister named Heidi Berry. Halle first came into the spotlight at 17 years old 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 USA Pageant. After participating in the pageant, Halle became a model. It eventually led to her first weekly TV series, 1989's Living Dolls, 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 because the role provided her big screen breakthrough. The following year, she was cast as Eddie Murphy's love interest in Boomerang, 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. She next had a highly publicized costarring role with Jessica Lange in the adoption drama Losing Isaiah. 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. The following year, she won even greater acclaim for her role as actress Dorothy Dandridge in made-for-cable's Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, 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 in which she played "Storm", a mutant who has the ability to control the weather.



Perfect Stranger (2007): $10,000,000
Catwoman (2004): $14,000,000
Gothika (2003): $6,000,000
Die Another Day (2002): $4,000,000
Monster's Ball (2001): $600,000
Swordfish (2001): $2,500,000
Executive Decision (1996): $1,000,000

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. Her parents, Judith Ann Hawkins & Jerome Jesse 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. Miss USA; first runner-up to Christy Fichtner who was on the first season of "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?" (2004). [1986] Miss Teen All American. [1985] Turned down the role of Annie in Speed (1994/I). In high school, was an honor society member, editor of the school paper, and class president. Was also crowned prom queen. Lost some hearing in one of her ears due to a physical encounter with a boyfriend in the early 90s. First African American actress to win the Oscar for Best Actress. 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. Was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" by People Magazine in 2002. First black American in the Miss World Competition. She didn't 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 the 50 most beautiful people in People Magazine in 2003. Starred in four movies with Hugh Jackman: X-Men (2000), Swordfish (2001) and X2 (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). Measurements: 36C-22-37 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine) Became engaged to singer Eric Benét on 14 August 1999. Benet has a daughter, India (b. 1991). 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). 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. 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). She wasn't seriously injured. 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. Ranked #15 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002). 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). One of only four actresses, along with Faye Dunaway, Sandra Bullock 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). Was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" by People Magazine in 2005 Her favorite actresses are Dorothy Dandridge, Jodie Foster and Whoopi Goldberg. Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals' 2006 Woman of the Year Named #5 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005) Mother is from Liverpool, England. Adopted Eric Benét's daughter India Well known for "living" her roles, she refused to bathe for two weeks in preparation for a role as a crack addict in Jungle Fever (1991). Received the 2,333rd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 3, 2007. 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. Early in her career she auditioned for the role of Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), but lost out to Angela Bassett who went on to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance. Was named "Sexiest Woman Alive" by Esquire magazine in 2008. Returned to work eight months after giving birth to her daughter Nahla in order to begin filming Frankie and Alice (2009). Was in a relationship with Gabriel Aubry (November 2005-April 2010).