Halle Berry feels she’s “getting [her] second groove started”.
Halle Berry has bemoaned ageism in Hollywood
The 59-year-old film star has suggested that older actresses in Hollywood need to “reclaim the narrative”.
Halle – who plays a character facing ageism and misogyny in Crime 101 – told Variety: “I know the heartbreak of that. I know how marginalised women feel when they get around those numbers, and so I think I felt it for every woman who has been there and felt that way.
“It’s wrong and I think as women we have to reclaim the narrative. We’re not done at 50, 60, even 70. We have so much more to offer. I’m 60 this year and I feel like I’m just getting my second groove started, so not done.”
In one scene in Crime 101, Halle’s character tells a male boss to “shut the f*** up”, and the actress has admitted to experiencing similar things in her own career.
Halle – who stars in the new thriller film alongside Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, and Nick Nolte – explained: “I’ve said that to a few of my bosses. [It feels] amazing because that means I’m standing up for myself as a woman and I’m empowered. That has felt really good every time I’ve had to do that.”
Meanwhile, Halle previously described her appearance in The Flintstones as “a big step forward for black people”.
The Oscar-winning actress played Miss Sharon Stone in the live-action adaptation of the animated TV sitcom, and Halle thinks her appearance represented a landmark moment for “black women especially”.
After re-watching the 1994 comedy movie, Halle wrote on Instagram: “You guys message me every year about The Flintstones film so I thought I’d do something special for the 30th anniversary [heart emoji] Love you all for loving Miss Stone all this time (sic)”
The actress subsequently hailed the cultural significance of her role in the movie.
Halle – who starred alongside the likes of John Goodman, Rosie O’Donnell and Rick Moranis in the 1994 film – explained: “Being a black woman in Bedrock seemed like a little thing but, you know, ‘The Flintstones’ was the fabric of our culture. I knew that this was a big step forward for black people – black women especially.
“While it was silly, and it was over the top and campy, I knew then how important this little part in this big movie actually would be. (sic)”