Actress and bad driver, born 8/14/1966.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Halle Berry and her less attractive sister were raised by their mother after her parents' divorce. The product of an interracial marriage, Halle was often taunted by other children of all races because of the way she looked.
As Halle got older she competed in many beauty pageants, including Miss Teen USA and Miss World. Those goofy pageants launched her modeling career. She was encouraged by producer Aaron Spelling to pursue acting and for a few years she appeared in sitcoms and television pilots.
Her big break came in 1991 when she appeared in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever playing a crack whore. Several moderately successful films followed but Halle was often stuck playing the cute girlfriend of some other major star. She attempted to expand her range in films such as Losing Isaiah, Bulworth and Rich Man's Wife. Her biggest accomplishment came in 1999 when she was chosen to play the role of screen legend Dorothy Dandridge for an HBO movie. She won a Golden Globe for her performance.
Earning approximately $2.5 million per film in 1999, Halle is one of the highest paid Black actresses in Hollywood. Her next major project is the X-men film in which she will play Storm.
Halle's personal life has had its ups and downs. She occasionally has problems managing her diabetes. She lost hearing in one of her ears after being beaten by a former boyfriend and her high profile marriage to David Justice of the Atlanta Braves failed. She also was recently charged with leaving the scene of an automobile accident.
In 2002, Halle became the first African American actress to win the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the movie Monster's Ball. Her genuine, tear filled acceptance speech was the highlight of the otherwise dull program.
Halle is married to R&B Jazz musician Eric Benet and has one child, a daughter named India.