Introducing Halle Berry

Yuko Iwata

Halle Berry is a famous, successful, and beautiful woman. She is an African American. Really, she is half white and half black but her mother decided to categorize her as black, because her mother knew that even though Halle was half white, she would be discriminated against in her country as a black person.

Halle was beautiful when she was young. In the 1980s, she entered several beauty contests, winning Miss Teen All-American in 1985 and Miss Ohio in 1986. She was the 1986 Miss USA, and the first African-American Miss World entrant in 1986.

She has succeeded after changing her profession to an actress. She has starred in many films and Berry's performance has been recognized with several awards, including an Emmy and a Golden Globe.

But she has not always been happy. Berry has been the victim of domestic violence, and now works to help other victims. In 2005, she said "Domestic violence is something I've known about since I was a child. My mother was a victim of it. Early on in my life I made a choice, and I chose men that were abusive because that was what I knew growing up … the first time it happened, I knew enough to keep moving.” Berry has indicated that she planned to adopt children.

To tell the truth, I didn’t know her name until I read the textbook. At first, I didn’t have any interest in her achievement. I thought most of her achievements were about her beauty. Also I had thought that there isn’t racial discrimination in Hollywood anymore, but when people admire her for her success, they never forget to say “It was the first time for an African American.” It makes me realize that she is still discriminated against. But she looks noble all the time, though she has had tough luck in her private life. I think that she has dignity as an actress, as a woman and as a black person. That is the reason why I am attracted to her.