Halle Berry has been that girl since she was named Miss Ohio 1986 and first runner-up in that year’s national Miss USA competition. Now, 40 years later, on August 14, the Oscar-winning star, producer, director and activist is celebrating her 60th birthday.
It’s the perfect excuse to kick off this weekend with a Halle Berry movie marathon.
Over the past three decades, her film resume has given us Black rom-com royalty, cult classics, heartwrenching drama, superhero status, and nonstop action. And she’s about to step into her most erotic role yet in the upcoming drama Fluer. The ageless beauty stars as a New York housewife who leaves her husband of 30 years, moves to Paris and reinvents herself as an upscale escort and dominatrix.
In honor of one of Hollywood’s most enduring leading ladies, we’re pressing play on seven films that capture the many eras of Halle. Prep a plate of sliced raw veggies and avocado (Halle’s favorite) and get ready to relive some of her most memorable movies.
Jungle Fever (1991)
Berry made her feature-film debut in Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever as a woman struggling with addiction. It was a small role, but an unforgettable introduction to an actress who would soon become one of the world’s biggest stars.
Boomerang (1992)
Angela Lewis deserved better, and we will stand on that hill forever. Opposite Eddie Murphy’s commitment-phobic Marcus Graham, Berry brought warmth, humor and effortless beauty to a role that helped cement Boomerang as one of the great Black romantic comedies of the ’90s.
B.A.P.S. (1997)
Berry and Natalie Desselle-Reid gave us gravity-defying hair, rhinestones, fabulous fashion and enough quotable moments to keep B.A.P.S. a staple in our time feed. The critics may not have understood Nisi and Mickey in 1997, but the culture certainly does now. Cult classic status? Secured.
X-Men (2000)
Berry stepping onto the big screen as Ororo Munroe, aka Storm, was a major moment for Black comic book fans. With Storm’s white hair, cape and weather-controlling powers, the actress helped introduce a generation to one of Marvel’s most iconic superheroes.
Monster’s Ball (2001)
Berry’s deeply vulnerable performance as Leticia Musgrove earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the first and only Black woman to win in the category. Her speech and vintage Elie Saab dress remain one of the Oscars’ most unforgettable moments.
Bruised (2021)
Berry made her feature directorial debut with Bruised and also starred as Jackie Justice, a disgraced MMA fighter trying to rebuild her career and her life. This is Berry expanding her talent, proving that she always belonged in front of and behind the camera.
The Union (2024)
Balle was ready to kick butt again, and she makes it look so effortless in The Union. She stars as Roxanne Hall, a secret agent who pulls her former high-school sweetheart into an international intelligence mission. This is the perfect breezy, action-packed flick that proves that Berry still has it from head to toe.