Sixty looks very good on Halle Berry. 🎂 In August 2026, the Oscar winner rang in her 60th birthday in Fiji — barefoot, glowing, and completely unbothered, telling the world: “Today… I don’t give a f—k!”
But the birthday trip was a pause, not a finale. Berry’s 2026 has been one of her busiest years yet: a new crime thriller in cinemas, films in production across two continents, and a slate of upcoming projects most actors half her age would envy.
So how did a beauty queen from Cleveland become one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars? Here’s her then, middle, and now.
Then: From Cleveland Pageants to Hollywood’s Door
Born Maria Halle Berry on August 14, 1966, in Cleveland, Ohio, she was raised by her mother Judith, a psychiatric nurse, after her parents divorced when she was four. Her middle name came from Halle’s Department Store, a Cleveland landmark — and she legally became Halle Maria Berry at age five.
At Bedford High School she was a cheerleader, honor student, newspaper editor, and prom queen. Then came the pageant circuit: Miss Teen All American in 1985, Miss Ohio USA in 1986, first runner-up at Miss USA, and the first African-American woman to compete at Miss World, where she placed sixth. 👑
Modeling opened the door, but acting was the plan. After TV’s Living Dolls (1989) and a gritty turn in Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever (1991), her breakthrough arrived opposite Eddie Murphy in Boomerang (1992). The Flintstones (1994) and Bulworth (1998) proved she could handle comedy, drama, and everything between.
Middle: The Oscar and the Reign
The late ’90s changed everything. Her portrayal of Dorothy Dandridge in HBO’s Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999) won her an Emmy and a Golden Globe — and announced her as a serious dramatic force. 🏆
Then came the one-two punch of 2000–2002: Storm in X-Men made her a blockbuster icon, and Monster’s Ball (2001) earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2002 — the first Black woman ever to win the award, a record she still holds alone.
She kept the momentum rolling as Bond girl Jinx in Die Another Day (2002) and headlined Catwoman (2004). Her reign as a 2000s box-office queen ran parallel to Jennifer Lopez’s own takeover of film and music — we’ve charted J.Lo’s transformation in our Jennifer Lopez then and now profile.
The following decades brought range: Cloud Atlas (2012), the sci-fi series Extant (2014–2015), scene-stealing work in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), and her directorial debut with the MMA drama Bruised (2020). She never stopped working — she just kept evolving.
Now: 60, Fearless, and Fully Booked
Berry opened 2026 with Crime 101, released in theaters on February 13. She plays Sharon, an insurance broker pulled into a multimillion-dollar jewel heist, opposite Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Directed by Bart Layton and based on Don Winslow’s novella, the thriller is now streaming on Prime Video. 🎬
Next up is Fleur, an indie drama from director Ellie Foumbi. Berry stars as a New York housewife who walks away from her marriage to start over in Paris — and she’s producing it too. Filming began in Paris in March 2026, with no release date announced yet.
Then there’s Red Card, an Africa-set thriller co-starring Djimon Hounsou. The pair joined the project in 2025, with filming planned in Kenya’s Maasai Mara and Morocco.
She’s also set to play the President of the United States — literally. In Apple’s The President Is Missing, Berry stars as President Joanna Duncan, a gender-swapped take on the Bill Clinton–James Patterson novel, and serves as executive producer. The project was revived in early 2026 after a cancelled Showtime version.
And in September 2026 came a delightful surprise: Otherwise Engaged, a rom-com co-starring Zoë Kravitz, Colin Firth, and Jack Whitehall. Berry plays Gabby’s fiercely independent mother in Suzanne Farwell’s wedding-gone-chaotic story, with filming set for New York in March 2027.
Off screen, Berry celebrated 60 in Fiji with her fiancé, musician Van Hunt. The couple — together since 2020, engaged after his 2025 proposal — confirmed the engagement publicly in 2026. She also launched Respin, a telemedicine platform focused on menopause and women’s longevity, becoming a vocal advocate for women’s health. 💪
Berry the entrepreneur is in good company — Rihanna built her own beauty vision into one of the industry’s biggest success stories, as we detailed in our Rihanna then and now profile.
With Maude v Maude — the long-gestating action thriller pairing her with Angelina Jolie — still in development, one thing is clear: Halle Berry’s second act is just getting started. ✨
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Halle Berry in 2026?
Halle Berry is 60. She was born on August 14, 1966, in Cleveland, Ohio, and celebrated her milestone 60th birthday in Fiji in August 2026.
Was Halle Berry really a beauty queen?
Yes! Before acting, she won Miss Teen All American (1985) and Miss Ohio USA (1986), was first runner-up at Miss USA, and became the first African-American woman to compete at Miss World, placing sixth.
What made her Oscar win historic?
At the 2002 Academy Awards, Berry won Best Actress for Monster’s Ball (2001), becoming the first — and still only — Black woman to win the award.
What is Halle Berry working on now?
Her 2026 film Crime 101 is streaming on Prime Video. Upcoming: Fleur (filmed in Paris in 2026), Red Card with Djimon Hounsou, Apple’s The President Is Missing, and the rom-com Otherwise Engaged filming in 2027.
Is Halle Berry married?
She’s engaged to musician Van Hunt — together since 2020, with the engagement confirmed in 2026. She was previously married to David Justice, Eric Benét, and Olivier Martinez, and is a mother of two.
What is Respin?
Respin is Berry’s telemedicine and wellness platform, launched in 2025, focused on menopause care and women’s longevity. She has also become an outspoken advocate for women’s health policy.