Halle Berry has never been one to let Hollywood define her — and as she prepares to turn 60, she’s making that crystal clear.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, the Oscar-winning actress addressed the conversation around her milestone birthday head-on.
“I'm gonna be 60 this year. That's just a number we were assigned at birth. We are what we think we are, what we feel we are. How dare people put a number on us that dictates what we can do or what we can accomplish. How dare you tell me when I'm done, or when I should be finished. You don't get to decide that.”
She didn’t stop there. In a pointed moment during the interview, Berry gestured toward her CRIME 101 co-star Chris Hemsworth and challenged the framing of the question.
“Do you know how old he is?” she asked.
When the interviewer replied no, Berry fired back: “That's because his age doesn't precede his name. Mine does!”
It was a sharp reminder of the double standard that still exists in the industry — particularly for women.
Looking at the bigger picture, Berry reflected on the barriers she has faced throughout her career.
“I've had to be old and Black, and a woman. I've had these strikes against me from the start which is why I'm not afraid of it. I've been a Black woman trying to make a way out of no way my entire career. Now that I'm 60, I'll just tag that on to my luggage and keep carrying it, and finding a way because I don't have a choice. I'm not finished.”
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Those words carry weight. Berry became the first Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for Monster’s Ball in 2002, a moment that was both historic and long overdue. She later led major franchises including X-Men and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, proving her staying power across genres — from action to drama.
Now, she is promoting her latest project, CRIME 101, a high-profile crime thriller based on the novella by Don Winslow. The film sees Berry starring alongside Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Ireland’s own Barry Keoghan. The story follows a series of jewel heists along the Pacific Coast Highway, as law enforcement attempts to outmanoeuvre a meticulous thief operating under a strict personal code known as “Crime 101.”
At a stage when many actresses have historically found roles drying up, Berry is front and centre in one of the year’s most anticipated thrillers. She has also expanded her creative reach in recent years. In 2020, she made her directorial debut with Bruised, a gritty MMA drama in which she also starred. The film showcased her willingness to take risks and push beyond the industry’s expectations.
Off-screen, Berry is also entering a new chapter in her personal life.
The actress recently opened up about finding love again — and this time, she says it feels different.
Berry confirmed she is engaged to musician and producer Van Hunt, proudly showing off her sparkling diamond ring during a new interview with Entertainment Tonight. Beaming as she discussed her fourth engagement, Berry didn’t shy away from addressing her romantic history.
“Fourth time is the new charm.” she said, while flashing her gorgeous engagement ring — or should we say, rock.
@entertainmenttonight Halle Berry loves 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵 engaged to Van Hunt and shares how she knew he was the one 😍💍 #halleberry #vanhunt #crime101 ♬ original sound - Entertainment Tonight
Berry, now 59, has had a highly publicised love life over the years. She was previously married to former baseball player David Justice from 1993 to 1997, then to musician Eric Benét from 2001 to 2005. Her third marriage was to French actor Olivier Martinez, whom she wed in 2013 before they divorced in 2016. She also shares two children — daughter Nahla, with model Gabriel Aubry, and son Maceo, with Martinez.
Despite past heartbreaks, Berry says this relationship came at exactly the right time.
When asked what she sees in Hunt, she replied: “It's just timing in life. We both were ready. I didn't think I'd find real love at 54 but it's possible. We're both mature. We're ready for this relationship that we have. And a second sooner, I don't think either of us would have been ready. It all happens on divine timing.”
The couple first went public in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. Berry has since described their bond as something that grew from friendship before turning romantic. Over the past few years, she has frequently shared glimpses of their life together online, often calling Hunt her “person.”
In an industry that still treats ageing as a headline for women but rarely for men, Berry’s message is simple: she decides when she’s done.
