Halle Maria Berry (born August 14, 1968 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an Academy Award-winning actress and model.

Biography

Early life and career
Halle Berry was known as fallowing Halle's Emporium, the local landmark around Cleveland, Ohio. She is bi-racial; born to Judith Ann Hawkins, the whiten mother of English descent, and an African-American father, Jerome J. Berry. Berry's enate grandma, Nellie Dicken, was natural inside Sawley, Derbyshire, England, while her enatic granddaddy, Earl Ellsworth Hawkins, was born within Ohio. Berry's parents divorced whilst she was Four years old & she afterwards was raised by her mother, the psychiatric-ward nurse. She likewise has an older sister, Heidi.

Berry was the popular student at Bedford Heights High School & was the cheerleader, honor society member, editor of the school newspaper, class president and prom queen. She worked in the childrens' department at Higbee's Emporium. Her personality, equally described by the co-colleague was expressed inside 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 after attended Cuyahoga Community College.

Prior to becoming an actress, she entered many beauty contests, including Miss Ohio America, Miss Teen Everthing Western, Miss USA (first runner-second best around 1986) and Miss World.

Hollywood career
In the late 1980s, she attend Chicago to pursue a modeling career when well as acting. One of her number one acting projects was the television series for local cable by Gordon Lake Productions known as "Chicago Force."

Berry auditioned for the role inside an updated Charlie's Angels television series by producer Aaron Spelling. At a instance, Spelling wanted one of a "Angels" to become the African American woman. She did non make their way a role (because a design never materialized) however she impressed Spelling using her skills. Encouraging her to prove my point perfecting her craft.

Within 1989, Berry landed the role of brilliant Emily Franklin in the short-passing ABC television series Living Dolls (which was a spin-byproduct of Who's the Boss?''). Her breakthrough feature film role was in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever where she played a drug addict named Vivian. Her foremost co-starring role was in the film Strictly Business. An additional one of her early roles was within the supporting capacity in the Flintstones movie where she played "Sharon Stone." a season prior to, Berry really caught the public's attention by owning her portrayal as a female slave in the TV adjustment of Queen: The Story of an American Family.

Berry is as well known by virtually all comic book fans for her portrayal of Storm in the moving picture adaptation of the successful comic book X-Men (2000) and its successful sequel X2: X-Men United (2003). Berry may reprise her role over again in the third installment X-Men 3 scheduled for a Might 2006 release. Within late 2003 Berry starred in the thriller Gothika, which was the number 1 film that she "carried," i.e., her role was a first 1 in the film.

Marriages
Berry has been married twice. Her number one marriage inside 1992 to baseball player David Justice ended in the 1996 divorce. Her 2nd marriage inside 2001 to musician Eric Benét has resulted in the 2003 separation (and 2005 divorce) reportedly due to Benét's infidelity. She has said that she might never marry once more. She has never got babies herself, however is approximately her step-daughter India from either her marriage to Benét. Berry does own ii Maltese dogs: Miss Polly and Little Willie.

Film Awards
Controversy
Trivia
Filmography
Jungle Fever (1991) Strictly Business (1991) The Last Boy Scout (1991) Boomerang (1992) CB4 (1993) (Cameo) Father Hood (1993) The Program (1993) The Flintstones (1994) Losing Isaiah (1995) Executive Decision (1996) Race the Sun (1996) Girl 6 (1996) (Cameo) ''The Rich Man's Wife (1996) B*A*P*S (1997) Bulworth (1998) Why Do Fools Fall In Love (1998) X-Men (2000) Welcome to Hollywood (2000) (documentary) Swordfish (2001) Monster's Ball (2001) Die Another Day (2002) X2 (2003) Gothika (2003) Catwoman (2004) Robots (2005) (voice) X-Men 3 (2006) (currently filming) Perfect Stranger (2006) (currently announced run of production)

TV Work
Living Dolls (1989) (canceled after Thirteen episodes) Knots Landing (cast member in 1991) Queen: The Story of an American Family (1993) (miniseries) Solomon & Sheba (1995) The Wedding (1998) Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999) (also executive producer) Their Eyes Were Watching God'' (2005)