How Starring in ‘Swordfish’ Helped Halle Berry Prepare for ‘Monster’s Ball’s’ Intense Love Scene
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Monster’s Ball helped put Halle Berry in the conversation with Academy Award winners. The film earned her an Oscar for best actor, and is seen as one of her most powerful performances to date.
However, Berry wouldn’t have starred in the film if she didn’t do Swordfish, which prepared her for Monster’s Ball in a major way.
Halle Berry once denied the rumors that she got paid a bonus for going topless in ‘Swordfish’
Halle Berry | Leon Bennett/Getty Images
It was once reported that Halle Berry was convinced to go topless for Swordfish for a higher salary. ABC News reported that the film’s director, Domenic Sena, told New York Daily News that Berry was paid an extra $500,000 to disrobe. The Guardian asserted that another producer on the film, Jonathan Krane, insisted the rumors were true. He noted it was why many actors didn’t want to do Swordfish, including Berry.
“[Halle Berry] also didn’t want to do this. But, somehow, and it had to do with a number of things (including money), she agreed to do it,” Krane said. “I’m being real frank with you – I don’t like it. I’ve made 43 films that I have produced and I don’t think I’ve had a naked girl in any of them until this.”
But another producer on Swordfish, Joel Silver, denied those rumors.
“There was never a discussion about it,” Silver said. “It’s crazy. We did not pay her half a million to go topless. Can you imagine negotiating that?”
Berry also alleged that the rumors started by her producer and director were false.
”In my last movie, Swordfish, I showed my breasts for the first time, and the producer told the press this lie that I got more money for the part — $250,000 for each breast,” Berry told The New York Times. “Well, if I were charging for them, it would be a lot more than $500,000.”
How ‘Swordfish’ prepared Halle Berry for ‘Monster’s Ball’s’ intense love scene
Berry reportedly got a hefty payday for Swordfish with a salary of $2.5 million. But Swordfish’s contributions to her career also came in the form of preparing her for her Oscar-winning role. Berry asserted that her going topless in Swordfish was essential to her being able to do the love scenes in Monster’s Ball.
“But I probably wouldn’t have been able to do the sex scene in Monster’s Ball if I hadn’t shown my breasts in ‘Swordfish,” she confided.
Before shooting the scene, there were also some requirements that her co-star, Billy Bob Thornton, needed to meet.
”I would only do it if Billy Bob agreed to be as naked as I was,” she revealed.
The Catwoman star admitted the upcoming scene frightened her, but she pushed through it anyway.
“We shot the sex scene on Day 19 of a 21-day shoot. I always say Billy Bob and I dated for three weeks and then we had sex,” Berry said. “The sex scene scared me completely, but courage comes in strange ways. I look at it now and I think, ‘Who is that girl up there?’”
Halle Berry wanted to do ‘Monster’s Ball even if it ended her career
Berry felt such an attachment to the Monster’s Ball script that she felt the need to do it no matter what. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the actor explained where that attachment came from.
“I intrinsically knew who that character was, what she was struggling with, her brokenness, her fracturedness. I understood the battle,” Berry said.
She was even eager to do the film even when others around her advised against it.
“But then people around me said, ‘Ooh, it’s a very low-budget movie. It’s very risqué.’ There’s some sexual components to it that maybe you don’t want to do. The subject matter, it’s got a lot of racial components to it. I don’t know if you want to touch this,” she continued.
But whereas other actors might have turned down the role for those reasons, that didn’t scare Berry away from the role.
“And I thought, ‘If this ends my career,’ like many people thought it would, I thought, ‘well, I’m going to end my own career on my own volition,’” Berry felt.
RELATED: How Halle Berry Felt ‘Empowered’ in Her Catwoman Costume: ‘People Were Afraid to Approach Me’
NBC Taps Halle Berry to Host Super Bowl 56 Kickoff
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We’re still waiting to hear which A-listers will be popping up in Super Bowl 56 ads on Feb. 13, but at least one major star will be prominently featured in NBCUniversal’s coverage of the game.
How Eddie Murphy Reacted When Halle Berry Spat in His Face in ‘Boomerang’
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In the early 90s, Halle Berry’s rise to stardom was just beginning. The actor had already garnered a lot of attention and recognition for her role in Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever. The following year, she’d find her profile growing even more teaming up with comedy legend Eddie Murphy.
However, Berry was afraid her encounter with the comedian nearly went south when she accidentally spit in the actor’s face.
How Halle Berry ended up in ‘Boomerang’
Halle Berry | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Director Reginald Hudlin worked with Eddie Murphy on the 1992 film Boomerang. The movie was a romantic comedy starring Murphy as a womanizer who stumbled into an unexpected relationship. It featured an all-star cast that included Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock, Halle Berry, and others. Although the actors weren’t nearly as big as they would be in the future, Hudlin knew they had something special in the crew.
“I remember talking to one of the producers at the time saying, ‘Ten years from now, people won’t believe we had all these people in the same cast,’” Hudlin told Black Film. “If you were there, you felt it. You felt that this was an explosive moment and that all these people were enormously talented and would go on to great careers.”
Although Berry wasn’t all that familiar in Hollywood at the time, Hudlin recognized her gifts immediately.
“With Halle, she was an unknown,” Hudlin confided. “She came in with film credits but not a meaningful awareness. When she walked in the room, she was undeniable, and not because of her beauty.”
How Eddie Murphy reacted when Halle Berry spit in his face
After getting the part of Boomerang, Halle Berry agreed that she was nervous about meeting the successful comedian. So much so that Berry found herself making an embarrassing mistake while filming an intimate scene with her co-star.
“The other day, we were…Eddie and I have a love scene and we never rehearsed it,” Berry said according to Black History. “We never rehearsed this love scene ever in rehearsal. I don’t know, but we just didn’t. So I was lying on his chest and I asked the makeup artist before I had to kiss him to bring me a glass of water. So she brought the water over. I took a sip out of it, and before I swallowed it, I looked up at him and I was looking up at an angle.”
Berry noticed that Murphy had grey hairs growing in his nose. She couldn’t help but laugh and “I spit water all in his face and down his shirt. After we got done, the whole place went silent.”
Fortunately for Berry, Murphy found the incident just as humorous.
“You know, they didn’t know how Eddie was going to react. I just spit in his face,” Berry said. “So he started busting out laughing and he got hysterical and then everybody laughed.”
Berry thought that Murphy might have walked off the set after the mishap. She asserted she tried not to make a scene, but Murphy’s grey hairs caught her off guard.
“But I wasn’t expecting him to have gray hairs up his nose,” she continued. “You know, it was one of those things that I just couldn’t control.”
It’s unclear if Berry and the Dolemite star have ever truly dated. However, VIBE reported there were rumors thy had a brief fling around the time they shot Boomerang. However, neither Berry nor Murphy has confirmed or denied these claims.
RELATED: Sharon Stone Was Once Disappointed She Couldn’t Kiss Halle Berry in ‘Catwoman’: ‘That’s Such a Waste’
Twitter Wants Halle Berry in a Cleopatra Movie After Viral Caesars Ad
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Kari Skogland’s upcoming Cleopatra movie may have already found its Egyptian Queen in the form of Gal Gadot, but that hasn’t stopped Twitter from countering that casting with a desire to see someone else take the throne.
Late last year, betting company Caesars Sportsbook released a TV commercial starring Halle Berry as a glamorous interpretation of the real historical figure, though only now, it seems, have audiences started cottoning on to the fact that Hollywood A-lister Berry was the actress sporting a trim wig and heavy eye makeup. The original ad can be seen below.
As for the revelatory confirmation of her involvement, that appears to have come from an Instagram post over the weekend (below) on Berry’s official Instagram account. The BTS photo shows her in the same makeup used for the ad.
Naturally, Twitter has gone nuclear with all sorts of reactions, with some even calling for her to replace Gadot on Skogland’s in-progress feature-length film.
I would rather watch a Halle Berry JB Schmove Cleopatra movie that that Gal Gadot Patty Jenkins thing. — Thomas Moore (@TomAandTom1) January 12, 2022
You should be Cleopatra instead of Gal Gadot — Wai Yan (@strawdogs1999) January 16, 2022
Others have been more respectful of casting choices, and decided instead, to offer their praise of Berry’s captivating look.
Omg! U r beautiful as Cleopatra — Bond’son (@SamuelElsworth) January 17, 2022
And here I am all embarrassed that I didn’t even know it was you. I googled plays Cleopatra movie Caesars commercials. — mrroy-e (@mrroy_e) January 17, 2022
@halleberry as Cleopatra is WAY too good looking for these Caesar’s Sports Book Ads… if there was ever a “one of these things is not like the others” this was it — Just Sayin’ Don’t Get the Vid (@JustSayin_Yo) January 17, 2022
Halle Berry as Cleopatra in those sports betting commercials is perfection. — Xicano X (@XicanoX) January 16, 2022
Cleopatra would be jealous. — 🤔 (@mahagayley) January 17, 2022
Judging by the above, there exists a sizable audience eager to see Berry take up the role of Cleopatra outside of a high-budget TV commercial, but we wouldn’t bet on such a seemingly perfect pairing happening anytime soon. Never say never, of course, but for now, it’s Gal Gadot’s time to shine as the famed monarch.
Halle Berry, H.E.R., and Jennifer Hudson Among the Nominees of the 53rd Annual NAACP Image Awards • EBONY
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Nominations for the 53rd annual NAACP Awards were announced Tuesday with H.E.R., Halle Berry, and Jennifer Hudson, leading the pack with major nods.
H.E.R. led all nominees with six nominations including best female artist and album for her critically acclaimed LP Back of My Mind. Berry received rave reviews for her portrayal of a mixed martial artist in the Netflix film Bruised, which is also her directorial debut; while Hudson, nominated for her role as Aretha Franklin in the biopic Respect, came on the heels of her recent SAG Award nomination.
The Netflix film The Harder They Fall received 12 nominations including Outstanding Motion Picture and acting nominations for Jonathan Majors, Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, and Regina King.
In the TV category, Issa Rae’s Insecure received the most nominations with 12 total.
Check out some of the category nominations below:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Jennifer Hudson
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion
Regina King
Tiffany Haddish
MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES
Outstanding Motion Picture
Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)
King Richard (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Respect (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu Original / New Slate Ventures / Lee Daniels Entertainment / Roth-Krischenbaum Films)
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth (Apple TV+ / A24)
Jonathan Majors – The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
LaKeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Mahershala Ali – Swan Song (Apple TV+)
Will Smith – King Richard (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu Original / New Slate Ventures / Lee Daniels Entertainment / Roth-Krischenbaum Films)
Halle Berry – Bruised (Netflix)
Jennifer Hudson – Respect (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
Tessa Thompson – Passing (Netflix)
Zendaya – Malcolm & Marie (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Algee Smith – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Delroy Lindo – The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
Idris Elba – The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
LaKeith Stanfield – The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Audra McDonald – Respect (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
Danielle Deadwyler – The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
Dominique Fishback – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Regina King – The Harder They Fall (Netflix)
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
American Skin (Vertical Entertainment)
Bruised (Netflix)
CODA (Apple TV+)
Test Pattern (Kino Lorber)
The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain (RedBird Entertainment)
TELEVISION + STREAMING CATEGORIES
Outstanding Comedy Series
`black-ish (ABC)
Harlem (Amazon Studios)
Insecure (HBO)
Run the World (Starz)
The Upshaws (Netflix)
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson – `black-ish (ABC)
Cedric the Entertainer – The Neighborhood (CBS)
Don Cheadle – Black Monday (Showtime)
Elisha ‘EJ’ Williams – The Wonder Years (ABC)
Jay Ellis – Insecure (HBO)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)
Loretta Devine – Family Reunion (Netflix)
Regina Hall – Black Monday (Showtime)
Tracee Ellis Ross – `black-ish (ABC)
Yvonne Orji – Insecure (HBO)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (NBC)
Deon Cole – `black-ish (ABC)
Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Kendrick Sampson – Insecure (HBO)
Laurence Fishburne – `black-ish (ABC)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Amanda Seales – Insecure (HBO)
Jenifer Lewis – `black-ish (ABC)
Marsai Martin – `black-ish (ABC)
Natasha Rothwell – Insecure (HBO)
Wanda Sykes – The Upshaws (Netflix)
Outstanding Drama Series
9-1-1 (FOX)
All American (The CW)
Godfather of Harlem (EPIX)
Pose (FX Network)
Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Billy Porter – Pose (FX Network)
Damson Idris – Snowfall (FX Network)
Forest Whitaker – Godfather of Harlem (EPIX)
Kofi Siriboe – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Sterling K. Brown – This is Us (NBC)
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
Angela Bassett – 9-1-1 (FOX)
Dawn-Lyen Gardner – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Octavia Spencer – Truth Be Told (Apple TV+)
Queen Latifah – The Equalizer (CBS)
Rutina Wesley – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Alex R. Hibbert – The Chi (Showtime)
Cliff “Method Man” Smith – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)
Daniel Ezra – All American (The CW)
Giancarlo Esposito – Godfather of Harlem (EPIX)
Joe Morton – Our Kind of People (FOX)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Alfre Woodard – SEE (Apple TV+)
Bianca Lawson – Queen Sugar (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
Chandra Wilson – Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Mary J. Blige – Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)
Susan Kelechi Watson – This is Us (NBC)
Outstanding Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Colin in Black & White – (Netflix)
Genius: Aretha – (National Geographic)
Love Life – (HBO Max)
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia – (Lifetime)
The Underground Railroad – (Amazon Studios)
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Anthony Mackie – Solos (Amazon Studios)
Jaden Michael – Colin in Black & White (Netflix)
Kevin Hart – True Story (Netflix)
Wesley Snipes – True Story (Netflix)
William Jackson Harper – Love Life (HBO Max)
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Betty Gabriel – Clickbait (Netflix)
Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
Danielle Brooks – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)
Jodie Turner-Smith – Anne Boleyn (AMC+)
Taraji P. Henson – Annie Live! (NBC)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Courtney B. Vance – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
Keith David – Black As Night (Amazon Studios)
Tituss Burgess – Annie Live! (NBC)
Will Catlett – True Story (Netflix)
William Jackson Harper – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Studios)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Anika Noni Rose – Maid (Netflix)
Natasha Rothwell – The White Lotus (HBO)
Pauletta Washington – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
Regina Hall – Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)
Sheila Atim – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Studios)
Outstanding News/Information (Series or Special)
Blood on Black Wall Street: The Legacy of the Tulsa Massacre (NBC)
NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (NBC)
Soul of A Nation (ABC)
The Reidout (MSNBC)
Unsung (TV One)
Outstanding Talk Series
Desus & Mero (Showtime)
Hart to Heart (Peacock)
Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch)
Tamron Hall (Syndicated)
The Real (Syndicated)
Outstanding New Artist
Cynthia Erivo – Ch. 1 Vs. 1 (Verve Records / UMG Recordings)
Jimmie Allen – Bettie James Gold Edition (BBR Music Group)
Saweetie – Best Friend feat. Doja Cat (ICY / Warner Records)
Tems – If Orange Was A Place (RCA Records / Since ’93)
Zoe Wees – Girls Like Us (Capitol Records)
Outstanding Male Artist
Anthony Hamilton – Love Is The New Black (My Music Box LLC / BMG)
Drake – Way 2 Sexy (Republic Records)
Givēon – Heartbreak Anniversary (Epic Records)
J. Cole – The Off-Season (Dreamville / Roc Nation)
Lil Nas X – Montero (Call Me By Your Name) (Columbia Records)
Outstanding Female Artist
H.E.R. – Back of My Mind (RCA Records / MBK Entertainment)
Ari Lennox – Pressure (Dreamville / Interscope Records)
Beyonce´ – Be Alive (Columbia Records / Parkwood)
Chlöe – Have Mercy (Columbia Records / Parkwood)
Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales (RCA Records)
Hosted by black-ish star Anthony Anderson, the 2022 NAACP Image Awards will air (with no live audience due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic precautions) on Feb. 26 on BET.
To view the full list of Image award nominations visit here.