Thursday 15 September 2016

Halle Berry on how she had to BEG for roles because she was deemed too beautiful in W Magazine interview

'Adversity does not discriminate': Halle Berry on how she had to BEG for roles because she was deemed too beautiful in W Magazine interview

PUBLISHED: 22:59, 14 September 2016 | UPDATED: 23:30, 14 September 2016

Her breakout role was as a 'crack ho' in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever and she fought hard to get it too.

Halle Berry described how good looks and a beauty pageant background became stumbling blocks on the road to success in Hollywood in the October issue of W Magazine.

The 50-year-old actress said that it took some convincing to persuade Lee to give her part of the undesirable drug addict because of her breathtaking beauty.

'Discounted as an actor': Halle Berry revealed that being beautiful was a stumbling block on the road to success in Hollywood in the October issue of W Magazine

But she was determined, and she stripped away the make-up and the glamour to prove she could do it.

'Just because someone looks a certain way doesn't mean that they are spared adversity. Adversity does not discriminate,' Halle told W Magazine.

'Spike Lee wanted me to read for the part of his wife and I read that part fine enough, but then I said to Spike, "You know I really am eyeing this crack ho role, can you please let me audition for that?" And he said, "No, no I don't see you as the crack ho."

'I said, "I am the crack ho. Really deep down I'm the crack ho." And he was like, "No, I don't see it."

Begging Berry: The 50-year-old reflected that she had to beg Spike Lee to play the 'crack ho' in Jungle Fever and then strongly convince Lee Daniels to let her play the part in Monsters Ball

'And I said, "Let me go in the bathroom, wash all this makeup off; you will see eyeing the crack ho." So, he let me do that and I came back out and I got to read the crack ho, and I got the part of the of the crack ho.

'And it was an amazing way to start my career, playing a crack ho be directed by Spike Lee. It was major for me.'

In those early days of her career, Halle went out of her way to get the part of the un-gorgeous girl

Retiring? Cindy Crawford is an agelessly alluring beauty in W Magazine and, despite the previous pledge to retire, says she really doesn't plan on that anytime soon

'Yeah, it was intentional to not play the gorgeous girl,' she told the publication. 'I came from the world of beauty pageants and modeling and right away when people heard that I got discounted as an actor.

'So, I had the job of trying to eliminate that part of my persona, and Spike gave me a chance to do that.

'And I took on roles early on that really didn't rely on my physical self at all and that was a good way to sort of get some credibility within my industry.'

Halle said that Monsters Ball director Lee Daniels was 'disgusted' at first by the idea of her playing Leticia Musgrove.

Temptress: Irina Shayk focuses her bluish-green on the viewer while clad in a furry wrap and LBD

'He was actually disgusted by the thought,' Halle said. 'He thought there's no way and my argument to him was, just because someone looks a certain way doesn't mean that they are spared adversity.

'I thought, "My looks haven't spared me one hardship or one hurt moment or one painful situation. So please, you know, give me a shot at this."

'I said, "I often think it's more interesting when you see someone that looks a certain way struggle in ways that you wouldn't think they would be struggling with."

'He ultimately gave me a chance and that sort of changed the course of my career in so many ways.'

Here's Jodie: Double Oscar winner Jodie Foster, 53, smoulders in a Giorgio Armani dress

Halle, meanwhile, joins ten other top stars in alternate W magazine covers.

Looking her very best in a plunging black Versace dress, the mother-of-two proved that 50 really can be fabulous - having celebrated her landmark birthday just last month.

Cindy Crawford, also 50, exuded her ageless appeal in sultry close-up for W Magazine, revealing that that pledge to retire isn't entirely true.

'I think the biggest change is more in the way that I'm approaching work and my career, so I probably should have just kept my mouth shut,' Cindy told the magazine.

Also gracing the October edition of the magazine is another cover girl in her sixth decade - Jodie Foster.

The double Oscar winner, 53, smouldered as she posed in a Giorgio Armani dress.

Irina Shayk, Elle Fanning, Priyanka Chopra, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris Evans, Kanye West, Kit Harington, Ethan Hawke, and Rami Malek all posed as well.

Young and fabulous: Elle Fanning and Irina Shayk are among the 11 cover stars

The magazine is a 'his-and-hers' fashion issue with the double issue boasting a female cover subject on one side, and a male cover subject on the other.

Captain America star Chris Evans told the magazine: 'In the 6th grade, I played the supporting lead in a play called Crazy Camp. I ended up dating one of the more popular girls as a result.

'The second the play was over, she dumped me. So, at a young age, I learned the power of getting a good role.'

Aye Aye! Captain America star Chris Evans talked about how acting made him a sex symbol

Strike a pose: Rami Malek and Ethan Hawke look mean and moody

And Indian-born actress Priyanka Chopra talked about her body image.

'When I was a teenager, I was a tomboy and had scars on my legs. But then I taught myself to take care of my body and my hair.

'It takes time, but if I can do it, anybody can. Today, my legs sell 12 or 15 products in my part of the world.'

Make it a double! Fashion conscious Kanye West is a natural choice as a cover star

Wednesday 14 September 2016

Make-up free Halle Berry and estranged husband Olivier Martinez 'fail to attend court' after being sued by 'attacked' LAX employee

Make-up free Halle Berry cuts a sombre figure amid claims she and estranged husband Olivier Martinez 'fail to attend court' after being sued by 'attacked' LAX employee

By REBECCA LAWRENCE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 08:56, 14 September 2016 | UPDATED: 21:34, 14 September 2016

An altercation between Halle Berry and her estranged husband Oliver Martinez and an LAX employee is believed to have been the final straw that caused the couple to split.

And whilst it's been reported that the pair have now put their divorce on hold, the lawsuit between the airline worker and the couple appears to be ongoing, with TMZ reporting the claimant has allegedly tried and failed four times to get them to attend a deposition.

Ronaldo Owens is seeking at least $5 million in compensation after Martinez, 50, allegedly used a baby's car seat to push him to the ground after jetting into Paris with Berry and their two young children in October 2015.

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In the firing line: Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez have reportedly failed to show up at four depositions after being sued by an LAX worker that claims to have been attacked by the pair

Owens filed a police report following the incident but in April it was reported that the L.A. city attorney had declined to prosecute Martinez.

The scuffle was caught on paparazzi video and showed Martinez, 49, walking in front of Berry who has their baby son Maceo in her arms and is holding the hand of her daughter Nahla, six, from a previous relationship.

In the civil lawsuit, Owens reportedly accused Berry of masterminding the whole thing, claiming she gave her husband 'carte blanche ability to attack.'

Grey day: Halle Berry looked to be feeling pensive as the news broke, as she cut a solo figure strolling around West Hollywood on Tuesday in an all grey ensemble from Z Supply

TMZ now reports that the couple have failed to attend four depositions, with Berry and Martinez's lawyer reportedly saying he's willing to produce his clients, but only if they get assurance Owens will keep the proceedings private.

Meanwhile, Owens' lawyer stated: 'In this country, litigants are not afforded special treatment because of who they are or who they think they are.'

MailOnline have contacted representatives for Berry and Martinez for comment

Au natural: Going make-up free for the outing, the 50-year-old actress was a vision of beauty, but appeared sombre as she walked through the city alone

As the news broke, Berry looked to be feeling pensive as she cut a solo figure strolling around West Hollywood on Tuesday.

Going make-up free for the outing, the 50-year-old actress was a vision of beauty, but appeared sombre as she walked through the city.

Clad in all grey, the Monster's Ball actress teamed a loose fitting hoodie with slouch Z Supply sweatpants that concealed her incredible figure.

Slipping her feet into black pool sliders, the stunning star looked stylish yet sensible as she pounded the pavements.

Sweeping her choppy chestnut locks away from her face, she showed off her stunning good looks.

Sticking with sweats: Clad in all grey, the Monster's Ball actress teamed a loose fitting hoodie with slouch sweatpants that concealed her incredible figure

Her outing also came after it was claimed she had called off her divorce from husband of two years.

The couple announced their split in October, but according to TMZ, leaked legal documents show the former spouses are yet to make further steps in a bid to end their marriage.

The website alleges that a court clerk has issued Berry and Martinez with a warning that failure to take further action will result in the case being dismissed.

Sources close to the couple claim they are happy to remain married for the sake of son Maceo, two, and Berry's eight-year old daughter Nahla – the Oscar winner's only child with her former partner, French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry.

Back on? Halle is also claimed to have halted divorce proceedings with estranged husband Olivier as the pair reportedly have not filed the correct paperwork

The fresh claims follow recent reports that Martinez 'never wanted the divorce and still doesn't.'

'If Halle wants to call it [divorce] off, Olivier would be fine with it because he never wanted the divorce in the first place,' a source told People magazine.

'To get a divorce and share custody of Maceo is not a situation that Olivier wants to be in... he also wants to be around Nahla like before. He cares about Nahla like if she were his own.'

The source added: 'The divorce is still being finalized, and there is no change for now. But there seems there might be a slim chance that they decide to stay married. There is still a lot of love between them.'

Still together: The couple announced their split in October, but according to leaked legal documents the former spouses are yet to make further steps in a bid to end their marriage