Halle Berry names the iconic film that impacted her most
Halle Berry remains one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors. Her journey to the top was not always easy. After moving to New York to pursue an acting career, Berry ran out of money and was forced to spend a short period living in a homeless shelter.
By the end of the year, she’d managed to secure a role in an ABC series called Living Dolls – a small but important step in her long and varied career. By the early 2000s, Berry had earned the attention of the Academy for her portrayal of Leticia Musgrove in 2001’s Monster’s Ball. It made her the first African American woman to win the Best Actress Oscar.
Here, Berry opens up about another important first. While discussing five movies that have impacted her over the years, the actress spoke of the power of on-screen representation. “I watched The Sound of Music so many times—it was a great escape,” she said. “I think most people enjoy movies because they get to escape. But I always felt like I didn’t see myself, and the stories that I knew to be true, reflected. In some ways, there was always a disconnect because I was longing to see my life and connect to it that way.”
The first film Berry really connected with in this way was the 1972 Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings The Blues, in which Diana Ross stars as the jazz singer. Directed by Sidney J. Furie, the film traces Holiday’s career from anonymity to worldwide fame, shedding light on her drug addiction and complex relationship with boyfriend and manager Louis McKay in the process.
Recalling the film’s impact, Berry noted: “It was one of the first times I saw myself reflected, not in Billie Holiday’s story, but by seeing a Black woman leading a film besides Dorothy Dandridge in Carmen Jones. That movie really meant a lot to me—and it was about one of our iconic Black singers. I remember when Diana Ross was nominated for an Academy Award for that movie. I wasn’t alive when that happened for Dorothy Dandridge, but I remember when it happened for Diana Ross. I remember what a good feeling that was.”
Berry’s recognition that an individual can only be what they can see has informed what films she shows her children. “Now, as a mother, I seek out films that allow my kids a chance to see themselves reflected,” she said. “When Soul came out, I was really happy to share that animated movie with them because textually, conceptually, they could feel connected to the story. I didn’t have that growing up, but they have that today.”
