Halle Berry has a bit of a bone to pick with “Black Panther.” The actress said the film’s huge success is due in part to her 2004 commercial failure “Catwoman.” But if you think Berry was being serious about this, think again.
While presenting the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Individual Episode Thursday, April 12, Berry explained that seeing yourself reflected on screen makes you feel “legitimate and included.”
“And each story builds on the next. It’s like that old saying goes: behind every Black Panther is a great Black Catwoman!” she jokes, playfully stroking her ego while the audience erupts in cheers. “You know, I’ve gotten a really bad rap for this role and I think Catwoman deserves another goddamn chance, don’t you?”
After the crowd gives Berry and enthusiastic round of applause and cheers, the actress says through laughter, “I knew this room would understand.”
“Catwoman,” which opened at no. 3 at the box office in July 2004 with $23.3 million behind the $74.7 million of”The Bourne Supremacy,” may have paved the way for “Black Panther” in some respects as a film with a Black superhero. But hit films like “Blade” and “Hancock” are probably more deserving of the declaration. Plus, before “Blade,” star Wesley Snipes was set to play the Black Panther in a movie adaptation of the Marvel comic in the 1990s.
And even though Berry likely wasn’t serious, folks were adamant about their disagreement about her remarks.
“‘Behind every ‘Black Panther is a catwoman.’ Halle Berry come on now.” someone said.
“Wakanda s— is that?” another asked.
“OK, as much as I love her she’s very, very wrong,” a different person said.
