HALLE BERRY: Not Afraid Of Her Own Light
It is said that it is our light, not our darkness that frighten us most- Indeed, August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, was a day of light and joy for the parents of baby Halle Berry-who was born from African American father ( Jerome Berry) and Caucasian mother (Judith Berry). In the process of becoming, questions such as who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and famous could had crossed Halle’s mind when growing up- but any clouds of doubt were dissipated at age 17 when she won the Miss Teen All-American Pageant.
After this transcendental event in her life- her professional career went up hill. From her first T.V series ‘Living Dolls’ in 1989 to the role that provided her first big screen breakthrough ‘Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever’ in 1991, a gate of non stop successful events has defined the path of Halle’s career. She was counted among the 50 most beautiful people in ‘People Magazine’. However, moments of light and joy could not exist without darkness and sadness- and Halle has had her share. In the year 2000 she was placed on three year probation and ordered to pay $13,500 in fines and penalties after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of a traffic accident. On one of her scenes she quotes “Blackness is a state of mind” and the actress has honored her words by continuing to grow bigger regardless of set backs in her life.
Halle not only continues conquering professional achievements, awards and recognitions, but she has found the realization and greatness of motherhood. She became the mother of a beautiful baby-girl on March 16, 2008. Halle’s life has embraced the light of her efforts, work and rewards-from her teen beginnings to becoming one of the only seven African American actresses to be nominated for the Best Actress Oscar. Halle Berry has out grown any dark moment in her life, and she is for sure not afraid of her own light-making her the beautiful, talented, successful, and strong woman, mother and actress that she is today.
(Note From Good Taste International: Halle Berry is the first and only Black Actress to win the prestigious Academy Award as Best Actress for her role in the independent film “Monsters Ball”.)