Halle Berry Biography
The name Halle Berry raises admiration and awe for one of the most beautiful Hollywood celebrities and a woman who has risen to the heights of success and amassed millions of dollars in wealth during her career. Berry was born of a mixed White and Black American heritage in Cleveland, Ohio, USA to hospital workers Jerome Jesse Berry and Judith Hawkins, she was named Maria Halle Berry after her birth on August 14 1966.
The early life of Berry was spent under the care of her mother as her father abandoned the family when she was barely four years old. Judith Hawkins was able to legally separate from Jesse Berry and she took custody of her two children despite the fact that her earnings could not adequately cater for the family. Berry and her older sibling Heidi were forced to contribute to the family’s income so while attending school they had to juggle side jobs that were available at neighbourhood businesses.
Berry was educated at the Bedford High School in Ohio before joining the Cuyahoga Community College for her college education. At school she was an active student and loved attention so she often took part in school entertainment events like fashion shows and beauty competitions. Berry’s interest for glamour led her to develop a love for modelling and after watching numerous shows and beauty contests on television she decided that her career would be made on the runway.
She began participating in local beauty contests where her beauty and poise saw her walk away with title after title. The 1980’s were successful for the new beauty queen as she scooped the Miss Ohio USA title, finished second in the Miss USA competition and was in position six at the end of the Miss World contest in 1986.
After Berry had made a name in modelling she begun to look for another thrill and soon found it on television where she debuted with the role of Emily Franklin in the short-lived 1989 series titled Living Dolls. The model turned actress continued on in television with guest appearances on Amen, They Come From Outer Space and Amen in 1991.
In the 90’s decade Berry gained fame as a film actress and she went on to appear in films like Strictly Business, Boomerang, Last Boy Scout, Fatherhood, Program, Losing Isaiah, Why do Fools Fall in Love, and Solomon and Sheba.
She replicated her success in the 2000’s decade with roles in high profile films like X-Men, Gothika, Swordfish, Die Another Day, Monster’s Ball and The Perfect Stranger. In the 2000 film X-Men Berry appeared as Ororo Munroe, a character and role she reprised in the following X-Men sequels titled X-men United and X-Men: The Last Stand in 2003 and 2006 respectively. The films were well received in box offices around the world and critics were in praise of the actress. Halle became a sex symbol and a large following of fans begun to keep up with her productions.
For the role of Leticia Musgrove in Monster’s Ball Berry was honoured with multiple Best Actress awards at the Academy Awards, the Black Reel Awards and the Silver Bear awards all in 2001. The same award was also given to her in 2001 by the Phoenix Film Critics Society and the National Board of Review.
Berry is currently filming for her latest role of Kate Mathieson in Dark tide, a film which is set to premiere in 2011.
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