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Halle Berry

Halle Berry was named after Halle's Department Store, a local landmark in her birthplace of Cleveland, Ohio. She is the daughter of Judith Ann Hawkins, a caucasian of English ancestry, and Jerome J. Berry, who is African-American. Berry's maternal grandmother, Nellie Dicken, was born in Sawley, Derbyshire, England, while her maternal grandfather, Earl Ellsworth Hawkins, was born in Ohio. Berry's parents divorced when she was 4 years old and she subsequently was raised by her mother, a psychiatric-ward nurse. She also has an older sister, Heidi.

Berry was a popular student at Bedford High School and was a cheerleader, honor society member, editor of the school newspaper, class president and prom queen. She worked in the children's department at Higbee's Department Store. Her personality, as described by a co-worker, was expressed in these terms..."I can hardly believe how sweet and nice she had been to everyone. People who weren't half as beautiful as she did not display the kind of inner beauty she exhibited." 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 (first runner-up in 1986) and Miss World.

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 television series by producer Aaron Spelling. At the time, Spelling wanted one of the "Angels" to be an African American woman. She did not get the role (because the project never materialized) but she impressed Spelling with her skills, who encouraged her to continue perfecting her craft.

In 1989, Berry landed the role of brainy Emily Franklin in the short-lived ABC television series movie where she played "Sharon Stone" (a part rumored to have been intended for Sharon Stone). Berry would co-star alongside Stone in Catwoman. The year before, Berry really caught the public's attention with her portrayal as a female slave in the TV adaption of .

Berry is also known by most comic book fans for her portrayal of Storm in the movie adaptation of the successful comic book , which was the first film that she "carried," i.e., her role was the most important one in the film.

Known for her beauty, Halle as served many years as the face of Revlon cosmetics and was recently named the new face of Versace.

Berry has been married twice. Her first marriage in 1992 to baseball player David Justice ended in a 1996 divorce due to infidelity. Her second marriage in 2001 to musician Eric Benét has resulted in a 2004 separation (and 2005 divorce) reportedly due to Benét's infidelity. She has said that she will never marry again. After her divorce, she also briefly had a short romantic relationship with up and coming actor Rey-Phillip Santos. Although she does not have any children herself, she is close to her step-daughter India from her marriage to Benét and is also rumored that she is pregnant by her current boyfriend (Michael Ealy).

. Interestingly, Dorothy Dandridge was the first African American woman to be nominated for a best actress Academy Award. Another similarity the two women shared was being born in the same hospital.. She made headlines by accepting her award in person, an unusual gesture 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. At the podium, she appeared with her Razzie in one hand, and her 2002 Oscar in the other (see e.g. BBC News).In February 2000, she was involved in a car 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.. Her appearance in this film won her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2002. As Bond Girl Jinx in 2002's , bursting from the surf - scantily clad - to be greeted by James Bond, as Ursula Andress did 40 years earlier.She has diabetes and acquired unilateral hearing loss (80% hearing loss in one ear) after being severely beaten by a former boyfriend. Accounts differ as to whether the abusive boyfriend was Wesley Snipes or Christopher Williams. in person, and in her acceptance speech she said, "First of all, I want to thank Warner Brothers. Thank you for putting me in this piece of shit, God-awful movie..." Her statement was received with great applause and laughter. [2]