Halle Berry, star of Monster's Ball.

Halle Berry is the first African-American ever to win an Oscar as best actress. She won the award in 2002 for her starring role in the drama Monster's Ball (2001, co-starring Billy Bob Thornton). Berry went from the world of beauty pageants in the mid-1980s to a television series, Living Dolls in 1989. In 1991 she began performing in feature films, including Spike Lee's Jungle Fever. She continued to appear in small roles on TV and on the big screen, notably with Warren Beatty in Bulworth (1998) and as actress Dorothy Dandridge in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999). She played Storm in the X-Men movies (2000, 2003 and 2006, with Hugh Jackman) and the lead in 2004's Catwoman. Her other films include Swordfish (2001, with Jackman and John Travolta) and the James Bond thriller, Die Another Day (2002, with Pierce Brosnan). She took a break from films after the birth of her daughter Nahla in 2008. The father was model Gabriel Aubry; Berry and Aubry met in 2006, were a couple for four years, and announced their breakup in April 2010.

Denzel Washington was named best actor in 2002, making it the first time that African-Americans won the best actor and actress Oscars in the same year... In February of 2000 Berry was involved in an auto accident that made the tabloids. With a serious head injury, Berry left the scene of the accident and was later charged. She eventually pled no contest to a misdemeanor charge.

Awards

Named Miss Teen Ohio and Miss Ohio, 1985; first runner-up, Miss USA Pageant, 1985; winner of dress competition, Miss World Pageant, 1986; NAACP Image Award; voted one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" by People Magazine; Image Award, outstanding lead actress in a television movie or miniseries, for Queen, 1995; Golden Globe, best performance by an actress in a miniseries or made for TV motion picture, for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, 2000; Image Award, outstanding actress in a television movie/miniseries/dramatic special, for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, 2000; Screen Actors Guild Award, outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or miniseries, for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, 2000; Academy Award, best actress in a leading role, for Monster's Ball, 2002; Screen Actors Guild Award, outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role, for Monster?s Ball, 2002; BET Award, best actress, 2002; Berlin International Film Festival, Silver Berlin Bear award, 2002; Black Reel Awards, best actress, for Monster?s Ball, 2002; Image Award, outstanding actress in a motion picture, for Swordfish, 2002; Image Award, outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture, for Die Another Day, 2003; Teen Choice Award, choice movie actress in a drama/action adventure, for Gothika, 2004; ShoWest Award, female star of the year, 2004; Razzie Awards, worst actress, for Catwoman, 2005.