Halle Berry, 'In Conversation,' talks about starring in her own directorial debut Bruised, and the long shut-out of Black Best Actresses

By Linda Barnard 

First-time director Halle Berry scored an early knockout at the Toronto International Film Festival, signing a Netflix distribution deal for her fight drama Bruised, rumoured to be worth around $19M.

Berry also stars in the movie about a has-been MMA fighter named Jackie “Justice” and her struggles to put her professional and personal life back together.

Halle Berry takes a beating, directing herself in Bruised at TIFF.

Bruised premieres as a work in progress Saturday night at TIFF. During a virtual In Conversation With… discussion Friday, Berry gave some credit for the deal to festival co-head and artistic director Cameron Bailey for inviting her to screen the film in Toronto.

“I’m so grateful to the festival,” said Berry. 

“I think it was that buzz that got people interested, which then led us to Netflix. I can’t stress enough the importance of festivals and especially this festival,” she said.

Berry said COVID-19 has slowed down completion of Bruised. 

She said the original script that caught her attention a few years ago was about a “25-year-old Irish Catholic girl.” Berry said she loved the story, a classic underdog fight film. “I love to see a film that’s about redemption. I want to see the human spirit soar. I want to see someone rise above obstacles and still be standing at the end of the day.”

She convinced the producers that the story could also be told about a middle-aged Black woman. They agreed to cast her and tasked Berry with hiring a director. Unable to find the right fit, her friend, Hustlers producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas urged Berry to direct.

“I was scared shitless” about directing, said Berry, who added she always has a healthy amount of fear and a desire to bring her best to a job.

She’d been thinking about directing since starting her production company 606 Films with Goldsmith-Thomas in 2014. She was planning on starting with a short film, but here she was directing her first feature, as well as producing and starring.

Directing herself created a tricky situation for the actress, who said she never watches her films more than twice: once before release to prepare for interviews and once with an audience to gauge reaction. As director, she had to watch herself all day as she reviewed footage.

Berry threw herself into the role with sufficient gusto to end up with two broken ribs while filming a fight scene.

Jumping in when an opportunity presents itself is something Berry said she’s done throughout her career. It made her want to break from her early work as a model to take on challenging roles.

“I felt I could be seen as more than just a pretty face,” said Berry, who had initially wanted to travel the world as a journalist. 

Director Spike Lee considered Berry to play Wesley Snipes’ wife in her first movie role in his 1991 film Jungle Fever. Berry convinced him she could play Vivian, “the crack ho.”

“Spike will forever be my special person because he gave me a chance to do that,” said Berry.

She went on to be the first Black woman to win a Best Actress Oscar in 2002 for Monster’s Ball. Berry has said in interviews the triumphant moment was also heartbreaking.

“The heartbreak I have spoken of, that I think I had, was that I really thought that night meant that very soon after, other women of colour would stand beside me. And so now it’s been 20 years and no one has,” she said.