Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry recently reflected on her now infamous role in the 2004 Warner Bros. film Catwoman. Catwoman is very loosely based on the DC Comics character of the same name – both characters share the same feline-inspired alias and costume, though that's about where the similarities end. The film follows the story of a woman named Patience Phillips (Halle Berry) who is murdered by her employers for discovering a sinister conspiracy in the cosmetics company at which she works. She is then inexplicably brought back from the dead by magical cats that grant her superhuman abilities, inspiring her to don the Catwoman mantle and become a crime fighter.
Catwoman was an instant critical and commercial failure upon its release, failing to so much as break even with the film's lofty production budget ($100 million USD). The film also racked up several Razzie Award wins in significant categories such as Worst Actress, Worst Director, Worst Picture, and Worst Screenplay. Berry made a rare in-person acceptance speech at the Razzie Awards ceremony, where she iconically accepted her Razzie for Worst Actress while holding her Oscar for Best Actress – which she had won several years prior for her role in Monster's Ball – in her other hand.
Berry sat down with EW to reflect on her involvement in Catwoman. The actress doesn't at all regret taking part in the notorious production, saying that "it was one of the biggest paydays of my whole life." Check out her full comments below:
"For me, it was one of the biggest paydays of my whole life, which, there's nothing wrong with that…. I don't want to feel like 'Oh, I can only do award-worthy stuff.' What is an award-worthy performance?"
Berry notes that she also didn't want to be creatively confined to "only do award-worthy stuff," which makes sense for any creative working in the entertainment industry. Her filmography clearly reflects this sentiment; across Berry's 30-year career, the actress has dipped her toes in several blockbuster franchises such as the X-Men, James Bond, and John Wick series. Berry has clearly proven that she can take on serious roles when she needs to, but that she also enjoys taking on more campy, lighthearted roles as well.
There isn't anything wrong with Berry's approach to acting. While it may occasionally lead to duds like Catwoman, casting a wide net for potential jobs ensures that the actress won't develop career burnout. The trend is all too common for those whose livelihoods depend on a consistent stream of creative output – especially with a profession like acting which, at its most difficult, can be highly emotionally and mentally taxing for actors to embody. With Berry's directorial debut, Bruised, set to release later this year, fans of the actress can hopefully look forward to seeing her at her most inspired very soon.
Source: EW