Posted on 01/27/2005 3:18:57 PM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
When she became the first black woman to win the best actress Oscar, Halle Berry hoped she would be the first of many.
Three years on, however, no woman has repeated her success.
So Miss Berry, 38, has launched a savage attack on Hollywood producers and directors, accusing them of racial prejudice.
"The struggle for a woman of colour to find good material is still very present, and it's a struggle I fight every day," she said.
Miss Berry said there was such a shortage of decent roles on offer that she had resorted to buying the rights of books she wanted to develop into films.
The actress, who was honoured in 2002 for her role in Monster's Ball as the wife of a prisoner on Death Row, has four such projects in development.
'Called a nigger'
"I try to make the best out of what comes to me but it's going to be about making my own reality really," she added.
"I've been called a nigger straight to my face . . . but there's also much more subtle insidious ways that racism occurs here in Hollywood.
"I don't care what anyone says - they may think it doesn't exist, but it's usually those who aren't black who think that."
When she accepted her Oscar, Miss Berry made it clear she saw it as a breakthrough.
In an emotional speech, she said: "This is for every nameless, faceless woman of colour that now has a chance because this door, tonight, has been opened. Tonight the glass ceiling has been broken and I hope that it is shattered forever."
Jamie Foxx tipped for Oscar
Her comments came before today's announcement of this year's Academy Award nominations, when no woman from an ethnic minority is expected to be in the running for best actress and supporting actress.
Black male actors, however, could enjoy record success, with Don Cheadle, for Hotel Rwanda, and Morgan Freeman, for Million Dollar Baby, hot tips for honours at the awards ceremony on February 27.
Jamie Foxx, who last week won a Golden Globe for best actor in a musical for Ray, is the firm favourite for the best actor Oscar for his portrayal of soul legend Ray Charles.
Previously, best actor Oscars have gone to Denzel Washington, who won alongside Miss Berry in 2002 for his role in Training Day, and Sidney Poitier for Lilies of the Field in 1963.
The only black actresses to win best supporting actress Oscars are Whoopi Goldberg for Ghost in 1990 and Hattie McDaniel for Gone With The Wind in 1939.
Despite her anger at film bosses, Miss Berry, whose mother was born in Liverpool, is believed to be the world's highest-paid black actress.
She earned £25million for appearances in Gothika, X-Men 2 and Catwoman.
Another title bestowed on her was sexiest Bond girl for playing Jinx in the most recent 007 adventure, Die Another Day in 2002.
Her personal life, however, has been blighted by two broken marriages and violence from an ex-boyfriend, which left her partially deaf.
She recently divorced Eric Benet after he admitted cheating on her with a dozen other women.
the keywords say it all
If she had any sense of decency, she'd give back some of that money.
I stand corrected.
Such an original idea! Someone should buy the rights to "Gone With The Wind" and make a movie. Then they could film "Ordinary People", "Little Women", "Tom Sawyer", "The Firm", "Hunt For Red October" . . . . .
What a dunderhead.
Liberal Hollywood is racist? Hollywood? Oh, Halle, say iy isn't so!
Hm.
Wonder how many practicing, evangelical Christian actresses of ANY color have won?
Dan
No kidding. This broad is hot as all hell yet cannot keep a man to save her life. What does that tell you about her personality?
The beautiful Ms. Berry should be more selective in choosing her roles. "Catwoman" was not a wise choice, as it will go down as the bomb of the year.
Married to one of the most beautiful women in the world, and he cheats on her. I guess her discernment about men is about as good as her discernment about film scripts.
it, that is.
STFU.
This happens all the time. MANY actors/actresses are involved in getting material for themselves--why is this considered something she had to "resort" to? It's like saying she's "resorted" to reading scripts that she eventually declined to film.
BTW, I'm amused at some of the responses here. We've been saying all along that Hollywood is hypocritical in its liberal pose, backing liberal politicians like Boxer who attack black women. I don't get the reactions to someone who supports our view of Hollywood as one big garbage factory.
What a miserable, messed-up person. It must be very difficult being her.
Wait, didn't she win an Academy award? That role wasn't a good one? "Logic," what's that?
Hey Halle. These are YOUR libs who have a history of helping blacks. Oh, they really haven't done much, have they? What group (ok, party) has reached out and actually DONE things for and with blacks? Hows about the Republican conservatives. Compare Condi Rice to "Sheets" Byrd. Colin Powell to "Babs" Boxer. Racists, the whole bunch.
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