When EBONY spoke with Van Hunt at the 2023 BUTTER Art Fair, hosted by GANGGANG in Indianapolis, the artist said he and his then-girlfriend, Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, would get engaged as soon as she was ready. And that day has finally come to fruition.
On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where Berry was a guest to discuss her latest film, Crime 101, the actress cleared up a misconception about her and Hunt’s relationship. “There’s some confusion that he asked to marry me, and I said no,” she began. “I did not say no. We just don’t have a date. Of course, I said, ‘Yes, I’ll marry you,’” she exclaimed to rapturous applause. “He did put a little ring on it,” she quipped as she showed off her engagement finger.
Berry and Hunt met in 2020, during the early months of the COVID pandemic. Lockdown protocols allowed them to get to know one another without public distraction, and they took full advantage. In September 2020, Berry soft-launched their relationship by wearing a “Van Hun” t-shirt on Instagram, which he reposted. In Febraury 2021, on Valentine’s Day, they made their pairing Instagram official.
Over the years, Berry has made her love for Hunt vocal, admitting that she was considering marrying again, for what would be the fourth time, only because of his love. She has openly referred to Hunt as her life partner.
Hunt, who is four years younger than Berry, is a singer, songwriter and producer. He gained recognition for his work, a blend of soul, funk and rock with his self-titled debut album, and won a Grammy in 2007.
Berry has previously been married three times. Her first marriage was to former baseball player David Justice, from 1993 to 1997. In 2001, she married musician Eric Benét. The couple separated in 2003 and were officially declared divorced in 2005. She married actor Olivier Martinez in July 2013. The then-couple welcomed Berry’s second child, Maceo, in October 2013. Martinez and Berry divorced in 2016.
While they never married, Berry had a long-term partnership with actor Gabriel Aubry, who is the father of their daughter, Nahla.
Congrats to the new, happy, engaged couple!