Halle Berry, a towering Hollywood icon, has carved a groundbreaking path from beauty queen to acclaimed actress, blazing trails for countless Black women in film and television. Throughout the 1990s, Berry cemented her rising star status with roles in Boomerang and The Last Boy Scout, eventually achieving blockbuster recognition as Storm in Marvel’s X-Men franchise. Her crowning moment came in 2001 with her historic Academy Award win for Best Actress in Monster’s Ball, making her the first—and still the only—Black woman to receive that honor. Combined with her Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe wins for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999), Berry’s accolades established her as one of the industry’s most respected and highest-paid actresses.

Despite her professional triumphs, Berry’s personal life has been marked by challenges, particularly in romance. Her first marriage to baseball star David Justice ended in a painful divorce in 1997, a period Berry has described as deeply depressing. She later wed singer-songwriter Eric Benét, but that marriage dissolved after nearly four years. Following these heartbreaks, Berry began a relationship with Canadian model Gabriel Aubry, with whom she had her first child. These relationships, marked by public scrutiny and disappointment, contrast sharply with her otherwise stellar career achievements.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 14, 1966, Berry’s early experiences in beauty pageants laid the foundation for her entertainment ambitions. She placed as Miss USA First Runner-Up in 1986 and became the first African-American contestant for Miss World, finishing sixth that same year. Years later, Berry met Gabriel Aubry on a Versace campaign shoot in 2005. At 41, she became pregnant with her daughter Nahla, describing her pregnancy as “fantastic” and crediting her health and fitness regimen for giving her a sense of joy and energy during that time.

Berry has embraced motherhood with pride and confidence, challenging outdated notions about balancing a demanding career with raising children. On her Instagram show Bad & Booshy in 2021, she shared candidly about her pregnancies, saying, “I felt sexy every single day of every single one of my two pregnancies.” Her eldest, Nahla Ariela Aubry, now 14, is described as a loving child who resembles both her famous mother and her father, despite a difficult custody battle that played out in the public eye.

After parting ways with Aubry, Berry married French actor Olivier Martinez, welcoming their son Maceo-Robert Martinez, whose name means “gift of God.” Although their marriage ended after three years, Berry has maintained a loving connection with both her children. During the pandemic, she even humorously used Maceo as a “dumbbell” during her workouts, showcasing her playful parenting style. Ultimately, Berry captures the spirit of many devoted mothers when she says, “Being a mom is the best job…the only thing I want at the end of the day is for my children to say, ‘You weren’t perfect, you didn’t do everything right, but you were a good mom.’” Her commitment to authentic and loving motherhood shines through as her greatest legacy.