Halle Maria Berry aka Halle biography

Real biography: Introduction

Halle Berry is an American actress and the first African American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. Voted #21 in the AskMen.com's Top 99 Women 2008 Edition.

Life Story

Halle was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio by her mother after her parents divorced in 1970. She was incredibly popular throughout her teenage years and was the high school newspaper editor, a cheerleader, honor society member, prom queen, and, of course, class president. She took her talent and beauty to the pageant circuit and was soon winning titles such as Miss Teen All-American and Miss Ohio USA.

After spending some time attending Cuyahoga Community College, Halle shipped off to Chicago to try her hand at acting. She supported herself by taking modeling jobs, but her passion was acting. After a few television roles and an R.Kelly music video, she landed the role of a drug addict in Spike Lee's "Jungle Fever". To prep for her breakthrough role, Halle refused to bathe for two weeks. Her performance earned her the attention of directors and she was soon cast in "Strictly Business", "Boomerang", and "The Flintstones."

While in Chicago, Halle began dating an abusive man who beat her to the point where she lost 80 percent of her hearing in her right ear. She went on to marry to pro baseball player David Justice in 1992. The marriage dissolved just four years later and the disappoint drove Halle to consider suicide. She has stated that thinking of her mother kept her alive.

Halle threw herself into her work following her divorce, portraying a variety of characters. She was a recovering addict fighting a custody battle in "Losing Isaiah," inspirating to a Warren Beatty's politician in "Bulworth," and the first black nominee for a Best Actress Academy Award in the HBO biopic "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge." She also scored the role of Storm in "X-Men" - a role she reprised twice.

Halle had a big year in 2001. She married musician Eric Benet (who turned out to be a sex addict, rampant adulterer, and ungrateful bastard so she divorced him in 2005). She signed on for "Swordfish" and, for an additional $500,000, agreed to film a topless scene for the first time. Later that year, she would bare all in the graphic sex scenes filmed with Billy Bob Thorton in "Monster's Ball." The film, which cast her as the desperately lonely wife of a condemned convict, earned Halle the coveted Best Actress Oscar, a first for a black woman.

Following her big year, Halle's roles were less about her talent and more about her body. She served as a Bond girl in "Die Another Day" and became "Catwoman." Her most recent work has been the thriller "Perfect Stranger" with Bruce Willis and "Things We Lost in the Fire" with Benicio del Toro.

Halle has served as a spokesmodel for Revlon cosmetics and posed for a Versace campaign, where she met current boyfriend, French-Canadian model Gabriel Audrey. They have no plans to marry, but are expecting their first child together in 2008.