Halle Berry says she’s a ‘necessary voice in the world’ ahead of Bruised – her directorial debut | News about Ant-Man & Art

Halle Berry’s directorial debut may include some of the films we’re familiar with.

A boxer has been kicked out of the ring, a father is trying to turn things around when an estranged child returns to their lives and a woman is manipulated by the man she is supposed to love. she.

But Berry’s gritty drama Bruised sees themes rearranged and told from the perspective of a black woman – something audiences won’t be too familiar with.

The star – who made history by becoming the first and only African-American woman to win the Academy Award for best actress in 2002 – said she has now made the film she judges appreciate the value of telling the story from your point of view.

“I think now that I have this opportunity to tell the story from my point of view – as a black woman – I think the more I realize that I’ve done it, how important it is, how important it is. of bringing a diverse story to the world,” Berry told Sky News.

“And when I’m talking to people about it and they say it’s hard and it’s ‘wow, that’s harsh,’ and I’m thinking, ‘ah, yeah, imagine living it,’ you know, it’s hard for you to watch it, imagine if that’s your reality’. “

“And the truth is, this is the reality of a lot of people, and so it’s really important to bring some light to this subject, and it takes people who’ve lived with it, who understand it from that point of view. this point, meaning black women, to tell these stories, and I think that’s a much-needed voice in the world.”

In the film, Berry plays aging MMA fighter Jackie Justice, who accepts an offer to return to the ring while facing the unexpected return of her 6-year-old son.

Characters are fighting on all fronts – women in the ring and various demons and issues outside of sports.

Ultimately, the film is about the power of women – a topic Berry wants to see more of on screen.

“As women, we are marginalized, and as black women in particular, we are severely marginalized,” she said.

“So this is not just a way for us to regain our strength, but to get our stories out there and acknowledge that our stories have value, our lives have value, Our experience has value, our opinion has value.

“And this is a way for us to bring that out into the world through art in this way.”

It’s been nearly two decades since Berry’s historic Oscar win, and since then, there’s been pressure on Hollywood to be more inclusive, with the MeToo movement and open conversations about how to address a lack of diversity. in the industry.

The 55-year-old says she has definitely seen things change in her career.

“I mean, look around – when I started 30 years ago, there were very few women of color doing the things that we’re doing today, I look around, they’re everywhere today, And it’s true.

“We’re living in a new reality than when I started – I couldn’t find any other way, I was the only one, I was one of the few, and now there are so many of us. living here dreaming, you know, telling stories, having great roles.

“So I really think things are changing – more female directors than ever before, producers… Is the change slow? Most of the change is, but I see steps. big and I see how we’re growing and the growth is really real.”

Subscribe to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Speaker

Despite her years of experience on set, Berry said taking on the role of director has given her a fresh perspective on how films are made.

She says it will definitely change the way she sees things as an actress in the future.

“Once you put on this leather and really take responsibility for the production of the whole thing, you realize why certain decisions were made,” she explains.

“I mean, when I was just an actor, I used to wonder ‘now why do they schedule scenes like this? This doesn’t make any sense, this is making the public it’s indelibly difficult for our actors” – now in a different light, I understand now there is a reason that has nothing to do with you, actor.

“There’s a bigger thing going on here, there are other departments, other factors that go into putting together a date and budgeting for a movie and getting a movie up – that’s not always the case. What would be best for the actors to perform their roles.

“So now I’ll never ask the director again ‘and why are you scheduling like this? This doesn’t make any sense'”. Never again.

Bruised is available to stream on Netflix.