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BIOGRAPHY
Halle Berry was the youngest of two daughters born to Jerome and Judith Berry in Cleveland, Ohio. She was named after a Cleveland department store called Halle Brothers. Her father was a former hospital attendant, and her mother was a psychiatric nurse. An abusive father, Jerome left the family when Halle was four and came back when she was eight. She has no contact with him because of his behavior. She later lost eighty percent of the hearing in her right ear from physical abuse from a former boyfriend. Berry also suffered insults from her peers as a child because she is biracial, and her family lived in a predominately white Cleveland suburb. Her appearance won her numerous beauty contests, however, and she eventually became a runner-up in the Miss USA Pageant.
Berry attended Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, but she dropped out in pursuit of her acting career. She first appeared on the television sitcom, "Living Dolls." Her break into film came with a role as the crack-addicted girlfriend of the main character's brother in JUNGLE FEVER. Since then she has enjoyed a steady stream of work in film. In 1999 she won a Golden Globe for her title role in INTRODUCING DOROTHY DANDRIDGE.
She has been active in charity work with organizations such as the National Breast Cancer Coalition. Because of her own experiences with diabetes, she works as a volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes Association. She has traveled to Sarajevo to support and entertain the American troops there. She also received an award from the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations for her humanitarian efforts.
CHRONOLOGY
1968 She was born in Cleveland, Ohio. (August 14)
1985 She won the Miss Teen All-American Pageant.
1986 She became the first runner-up in the Miss USA Pageant.
1989 "Living Dolls" - television sitcom
1991 JUNGLE FEVER, STRICTLY BUSINESS, THE LAST BOY SCOUT - films; She appeared as Debbie Porter on "Knots Landing."
1992 BOOMERANG - film
1993 THE PROGRAM, FATHERHOOD, LOSING ISAIAH, CB3 - films; QUEEN - television miniseries; She married David Justice. (January)
1994 THE FLINTSTONES - film
1995 SOLOMON & SHEBA - television movie
1996 EXECUTIVE DECISION, GIRL 6, THE RICH MAN'S WIFE, RACE THE SUN - films
1997 B.A.P.S. - film; She and David Justice divorced.
1998 WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - film; THE WEDDING - television miniseries
1999 She won a Golden Globe for her role in INTRODUCING DOROTHY DANDRIDGE.
2000 X-MEN - film
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