'Passionate' Halle Berry Reflects on Tense Confrontation With Bryan Singer: 'Everybody Was Mad'

Halle Berry has taken on a powerful role in her latest film, Crime 101, where she portrays Sharon, a woman facing workplace discrimination.

This character resonates deeply with Berry, who has been vocal about her own experiences with sexism and ageism in the entertainment industry.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Berry described how her journey in Hollywood influenced her decision to take on this role. “I thought, wow, I have an opportunity here to put in film something that I'm wildly passionate about personally,” she stated. Berry’s character ultimately confronts her sexist boss after being overlooked for a promotion, a pivotal moment that mirrors a significant incident from her own career.

Reflecting on her time working on X-2, Berry recalled a confrontation with director Bryan Singer that remains etched in her memory. “Oh, yes. Oh, yeah. Oh, yes. A really famous one, when I got to tell Bryan Singer just where to go and how to get there on the set of X-Men one day,” she said.

This incident occurred during the filming of X-2, where Berry starred as Storm. She recalled that tensions were high among the cast, with many urging her to take a stand. “Everybody was mad, but they all said to me, 'Halle, you go tell 'em,' because they knew I would,” Berry explained. The actress described the experience as one of the greatest days on a set, feeling empowered as she addressed the director’s behavior.

Alan Cumming, who co-starred with Berry, mentioned this confrontation in his memoir, Baggage: Tales From a Fully Packed Life, detailing how Berry boldly told Singer to “kiss my Black a--” after he lashed out at the cast. While Singer has denied these accusations, stating, “Nothing like that ever happened."

Berry’s role in Crime 101 reflects her commitment to tackling issues of discrimination and sexism. She expressed that the challenges she faced while portraying Sharon stemmed from the character’s strong resemblance to her own life. “My struggle with this character was because it was so me, how do I make it feel like a character and not feel like it was Halle up there just having her say?” she said.

Despite these challenges, Berry embraced the opportunity to lend her voice to an important cause, stating, “My say feels really important in the world for women right now.” With support from director Bart Layton, she infused her personal experiences into the character, creating a relatable and impactful story.