‘All I Can Do Is Fight’: Halle Berry Opens Up About Being ‘Objectified’ In Past Films and Playing the Opposite of a Sex Symbol In ‘Bruised’

When people think of Halle Berry, many think, beautiful, stunning and sophisticated. Berry has been cast as the sex symbol in several movies and a few rappers have mentioned her name in several songs with the indication that she has a certain appeal to some.

Her beauty is something that is rarely up for debate, but in her new film, “Bruised,” Berry took matters into her own hands to give her fans something else to talk about. In most of the film, Berry’s face is bare and when covered with makeup it’s to create a battered look like a black eye or bloodied face.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 22: Halle Berry seen on the streets of Midtown Manhattan on November 22, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images)

The 55-year-old is well aware of the conversations about her looks and she told USA TODAY on Wednesday that she has a “numbness” to it. “It’s one of the reasons I fought so hard to make this movie. Because being objectified that way is something I’ve come to realize I can’t do anything about. All I can do is fight to do movies like this where I’m not,” she said.

As Berry makes her directorial debut with the film, she is satisfied with the idea that it will not lean on her appearance. “Especially being me and people always commented on how I look, it was so liberating to wake up every day and the more (expletive) up I looked, the better it was going to be for the day’s work.”

Berry says she also teaches her 13-year-old daughter about beauty and pushes her to understand that it is her personality that really counts. She tells her “beauty is as beauty does,” and says she’s worried about her daughter using filters that are installed on social media.

“Sometimes I’m her least favorite person in the world because she’s like, ‘Oh, Mom, please let me just be a teenager of my generation!’ And I want her to do that, too. But I’m worried about her self-image. And the filter life – it’s not a real life.”

“Bruised” released in theaters on Nov. 17.


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