Halle Berry Biography
Maria Halle Berry was born on August 14, 1966, in Cleveland, Ohio. After working as a model and beauty queen, she launched an acting career that gained momentum through the 1990s. Her searing, brave performance in Monster's Ball (2001) earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the first and (as of 2026) only Black woman to win the award. She is also known for playing Storm in the X-Men franchise and as a Bond girl in Die Another Day.
Personal Life
Who are Halle Berry's parents?
Jerome Jesse Berry, Judith Ann Hawkins
Did Halle Berry have siblings?
Yes — Heidi Berry.
Was Halle Berry married?
| Name | Married | Divorced |
|---|---|---|
| David Justice | – | – |
| Eric Benét | – | – |
| Olivier Martinez | – | – |
Did Halle Berry have children?
Halle Berry had 2 children: Nahla Ariela Aubry (born 2008, with Gabriel Aubry), Maceo Robert Martinez (born 2013).
What religion was Halle Berry?
Halle Berry was N/A.
What was Halle Berry's ethnicity?
Halle Berry was of African-American and White (English, Irish, Scottish) heritage.
Career Highlights
Movies
- Jungle Fever (1991)
- Boomerang (1992)
- Losing Isaiah (1995)
- X-Men (2000)
- Swordfish (2001)
- Monster's Ball (2001)
- Die Another Day (2002)
- X2: X-Men United (2003)
- Catwoman (2004)
- X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
- Perfect Stranger (2007)
- Cloud Atlas (2012)
- The Call (2013)
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
- Kidnap (2017)
- John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)
- Bruised (2020)
TV Shows
- Extant (2014–2015)
- Boomerang (2019)
Awards
- Academy Award — Best Actress, Monster's Ball (2002) — first Black woman to win Best Actress
- Emmy Award — Best Actress in a Limited Series, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (2000)
- Screen Actors Guild Award
- Golden Globe nomination — Best Actress, Monster's Ball (2002)
Facts About Halle Berry
- Her Academy Award for Monster's Ball (2002) made her the first Black woman ever to win the Oscar for Best Actress — a milestone that still stands as of 2026
- Entered a diabetic coma in 1989 during production of the TV series Living Dolls, which led to her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis
- Was discovered at age 16 after placing first in a local Cleveland beauty pageant
- Directed Bruised (2020), her directorial debut, after no male director wanted to take on the female MMA story
- Holds a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, which she trained for while filming John Wick: Chapter 3
Halle Berry Quotes
"I'm a firm believer that the culture of a company starts at the top."
"I did it for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door has been opened."
Legacy
Halle Berry's Academy Award win is one of the most historic moments in Oscar history. Her tearful speech accepting the award — 'This moment is so much bigger than me' — remains one of the most emotional in Academy history. Her directorial debut Bruised (2020) added another dimension to her already groundbreaking career.
Sources
Last verified: 2026-06-15