Halle Berry, who directs and stars in the new film Bruised, has said that she decided to go into directing to make her children proud. The 55-year-old is one of the most recognisable actresses in Hollywood, be it fighting Magneto as Storm in X-Men, saving the world with Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond in Die Another Day or, more recently, dispatching hordes of assassins with her killer attack dogs in John Wick 3. Berry’s long career in front of the camera has persevered for 20-plus years, despite minor misfires like 2004’s Catwoman.
Now, the star has embarked on a completely new challenge by directing her first feature film. Bruised, a new Netflix sports drama, sees Berry on both sides of the lens as she plays retired MMA fighter Jackie Justice. Justice is brought back into the world of underground fighting and is forced to face past demons when her estranged, infant son comes back into her life. Berry, who has two children herself, plays a mother eager to make up for past mistakes and determined to right her past wrongs in Bruised.
In an interview with ET, Berry speaks of her shared traits with the fictional fighter, saying “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my children.” The actress admits that motherhood has "changed" her and that there are things she does for her children that she “would never do” for herself. Opening up about the new challenge of directing a film, Berry reveals that having children is “the reason I’m even directing,” citing the need to discover more about herself. Not wanting to slow down in motherhood, the actress states “I have to keep trying to make them proud” and that she wants to remain “very involved” with her career. Read the star’s full interview quote below:
“There's nothing I wouldn't do for my children, and what I think Jackie Justice learned is that we will go really far for our children. There's things that I do that I would never do for myself, but I do for my children and that's how motherhood has changed me […] And having my children now is the reason I'm even directing because I have to keep going. I have to keep discovering more facets of who I am. I have to keep trying to make them proud. I have to keep modeling for them someone who's alive and very involved in their career and as a woman, as a Black woman."
The Oscar-winning actress has found herself reflecting on her long and varied career as a result of this newfound challenge, including recently discussing the retroactive love that her much-maligned version of Catwoman has been getting in recent months online. She also expressed interest in remaking the superhero flick, possibly with her newfound directorial experience. In the meantime, Berry has been working on the upcoming Roland Emmerich disaster film Moonfall, in which she plays a heroic astronaut tasked with saving the Earth from destruction.
Berry's new comments make Bruised an even more powerful movie, with the added context behind the already engaging lead performance. Like Berry's character Jackie Justice, the star feels the need to carry on for her children, and is pushing herself with the challenge of directing in a similar way to the character’s sporting comeback. Audiences can see Berry’s passionate directorial debut now as Bruised is currently streaming on Netflix, and may be the first of many projects with Berry behind the camera.
Source: ET
