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August 14
From Cleveland, Ohio, Berry was named after the department store Halle Brothers. She and her older sister Heidi were raised by their mother Judith Berry Hawkins a (now) retired psychiatric nurse who is white. Her abusive father left the family when Halle was four. His name is Jerome Berry, former hospital attendant and African American. While in high school she was a cheerleader, editor of the school newspaper, member of the honor society and a prom queen. She also achieved the status of Miss Ohio, Miss Teen All-American, and in 1986, was first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant, and the first African-American to represent the U. S. in the Miss World competition in London. In her home town Berry studied broadcast journalism at the Cuyahoga Community College. After this she modeled in Chicago, which led to her first weekly TV series, 1989's Living Dolls. An actress of striking beauty and elegance, she rapidly gained a reputation for on-set tenacity, preferring to "live" her roles and remaining in character even when the cameras stopped. This technique continued when she reportedly refused to bathe for several days before starting work on her role as a crack addict in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever (1991). However, such research/style paid off. The following year, Berry was cast in Boomerang. She was the sexy secretary Sharon Stone in The Flintstones (1994). She also co-stared in the adoption drama Losing Isaiah (1995). Three years later she played a street smart young woman in Bulworth. In 1989 she won acclaim as tragic screen icon Dorothy Dandridge in the made-for-cable Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. David Justice (professional baseball player) and Berry were married in 1993 and divorced in 1997. She has won many awards for acting including: 1999, Golden Globe: Best Actress (Miniseries, TV Movie) for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. 1999, Screen Actors Guild: Female Actor (Television Movie or Miniseries), Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. 2002, Screen Actors Guild: Best Actress, Monster's Ball, and 2002, Oscar: Best Actress, Monster's Ball. Berry and Eric Benet were married 2001, he has daughter from previous relationship and they filed for divorce in 2003. Reference: Wikimedia Foundation 204 37th Avenue North Suite330 St. Petersburg, FL. 33704
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The African American Registry®, The African American Registry® Copyright 2005, 2006
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