Halle Berry’s Journey of Self-Reflection
Halle Berry, the 59-year-old actress, has shared that she embraced four years of celibacy following her third divorce in 2016. This period allowed her to prioritize personal growth and self-worth after previous marriages to baseball player David Justice, singer-songwriter Eric Benét, and French actor Olivier Martinez. She shares a 12-year-old son, Maceo, with Martinez and a 17-year-old daughter, Nahla, from her relationship with Canadian model Gabriel Aubry.
Berry explained her decision to step back from romantic involvement, stating, ‘I had to really sit myself down and be alone and grow and reflect and realise my value. I had decided if the right person doesn’t come, I will be alone. And that’s OK.’
Meeting Van Hunt During the Pandemic
In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Berry connected with musician Van Hunt through text messages. The pair built a friendship virtually for six months before meeting in person, where an immediate bond formed. Reflecting on the experience, she noted, ‘I had to go through fire and burn to get to the point of appreciating a person.’
Berry has described her relationship with Hunt as deeply serious. During an appearance on the Today show, she revealed that Hunt proposed, expressing his desire for her to become Mrs. Halle Van Hunt. However, she responded cautiously, saying ‘not so fast’ due to the complexities of her past experiences.
‘Well, I’ve been married three times,’ Berry said. ‘Van has been married once, and so no, we don’t feel like we have to get married to validate our love in any way. We don’t.’ She added that while marriage isn’t necessary, it feels right with Hunt: ‘But I think we will get married just because, out of the people I’ve been married to, this is the person I should have married.’
Berry emphasized that friends and supporters are enthusiastic about their potential union, with many expressing relief that she has found a committed partnership. ‘I always saw myself in a committed, loving relationship with like my best friend, someone that I respect and I love,’ she shared.
Promoting New Film and Industry Insights
While discussing her evolving personal life, Berry also highlighted her professional fulfillment in the upcoming crime thriller Crime 101, co-starring Chris Hemsworth, Barry Keoghan, and Mark Ruffalo. On The Graham Norton Show, she described feeling profoundly valued on set: ‘It was amazing. When you’ve been doing this for over 30 years and you say it is the all-time best, that’s something.’
As the only woman of color to win the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2002—beating out competitors like Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Renée Zellweger, and Sissy Spacek—Berry connected deeply with her character. ‘She stands up for all women in middle life. She has a voice. I think that has been a long time coming,’ she told host Graham Norton. ‘Many women who are down the path of life like I am will feel very happy to be seen.’
Berry contrasted this positive environment with broader industry challenges, stating, ‘You hear about the horror stories that go on in the industry, but not at all here. I have never felt more seen, protected and stood up for as I did on this movie.’
