Halle Berry Says Historic Oscar Win Didn’t Change The Course Of Her Career

Halle Berry, the only Black woman to win the Best Actress Oscar, has opened up about what really changed after her historic win in 2002. The actor won the award for Monster’s Ball and expected it to open many new doors in Hollywood. Berry believed stronger scripts would be offered to her, which did not happen. While promoting her new film, Crime 101, Berry shared that the film industry still struggled to tell stories led by people of colour.

Even after winning an Oscar, she said casting doubts around Black actors did not disappear. Berry said many filmmakers were still unsure about stories led by a Black woman and worried about how such films would perform worldwide. Berry also shared that she once told Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo that awards

should not define a person’s value or success.

Halle Berry Reflects On Life After Her Oscar Win

Speaking with The Cut, Halle Berry said, “that Oscar didn’t necessarily change the course of my career. After I won it, I thought there was going to be, like, a script truck showing up outside my front door. While I was wildly proud of it, I was still Black that next morning. Directors were still saying, ‘If we put a Black woman in this role, what does this mean for the whole story? Do I have to cast a Black man? Then it’s a Black movie. Black movies don’t sell overseas.’”

The actress recalled telling Cynthia Erivo, “You goddamn deserve it, but I don’t know that it’s going to change your life. It cannot be the validation for what you do, right?”

Learning To Laugh At Failure

Even after winning an Oscar, Halle Berry also faced failure in her career. In 2005, she received a Razzie Award for her role in Catwoman, which was disliked by many. Instead of avoiding the moment, she attended the event in person and made fun of herself. She carried her Oscar on stage and showed that she can laugh at the situation. She shared that “Oscar didn’t make me the best, just like that Razzie doesn’t make me the worst.”

When Lupita Nyong’o Shared A Similar Struggle

Lupita Nyong’o shared a similar experience about life after winning an Oscar. As per CNN, after her award for 12 Years a Slave, she hoped to receive better lead roles. Instead, she found that the offers were very limited. Many filmmakers only saw her in the same kind of roles she had already played.