I’m Used To Carrying Negativity On My Back

Halle Berry is the first Black woman to lead a solo DC Comics movie. Directed by Pitof and released in 2004, Halle’s film Catwoman faced both critical and commercial failure. The movie won Worst Picture, and Halle Berry received the Worst Actress trophy at the Razzies, which honours the year’s worst films. Despite this, Catwoman is enjoying renewed success on streaming platforms, with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 on Prime Video. On the 20th anniversary of Catwoman, Entertainment Weekly brought together Halle Berry, director Pitof, producer Denise Di Novi, and writer John Brancato for a candid discussion. 

During the interaction, Halle Berry reflected on her experience. She shared, “I didn’t love [the backlash]. Being a Black woman, I’m used to carrying negativity on my back, fighting, being a fish swimming upstream by myself. I’m used to defying stereotypes and making a way out of no way. I didn’t want to be casual about it, but I went and collected that Razzie, laughed at myself, and kept it moving. It didn’t derail me because I’ve fought as a Black woman my whole life. A little bad publicity about a movie? I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t going to stop my world or derail me from doing what I love to do.”

In the same discussion, Halle Berry emphasised the importance of perseverance. She said, “Growing up as a Black woman, that’s two strikes against you. There’s an innate resilience. I hated that it got all put on me, and I hate that, to this day, it’s my failure. I know I can carry it. I still have a career 20 years later. It’s just part of my story. That’s okay, and I’ve carried other failures and successes. People have opinions, and sometimes they’re louder than others. You just have to keep moving.” 

In addition to Halle Berry, Catwoman also featured Sharon Stone, Benjamin Bratt, Lambert Wilson, and Frances Conroy. 

Halle Berry was last seen in Moonfall. She will next be seen in The Union, releasing on August 16, followed by Never Let Go, releasing on September 27.