Halle Berry’s Journey to Self-Discovery and New Love
Halle Berry, the 59-year-old actress known for her trailblazing career, has shared intimate details about a four-year period of celibacy that preceded her relationship with musician Van Hunt. This time of solitude followed her third divorce in 2016 from French actor Olivier Martinez, with whom she shares a 12-year-old son, Maceo. Berry has also been married to baseball player David Justice and singer-songwriter Eric Benét, and she co-parents a 17-year-old daughter, Nahla, with Canadian model Gabriel Aubry.
After her last marriage ended, Berry chose to prioritize personal growth. She explained, “I had to really sit myself down and be alone and grow and reflect and realize my value. I had decided if the right person doesn’t come, I will be alone. And that’s OK.” This intentional break allowed her to rebuild her sense of self-worth and prepare for future connections.
Meeting Van Hunt Amid the Pandemic
In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Berry was introduced to Van Hunt. The pair built a friendship through text messages over six months before meeting in person. Their first encounter sparked an instant bond. Reflecting on the experience, Berry noted, “I had to go through fire and burn to get to the point of appreciating a person.”
The relationship has deepened significantly. During an appearance on the Today show with Jenna & Friends, Berry revealed that Hunt has proposed marriage, envisioning her as Mrs. Halle Van Hunt. However, she responded with caution, saying “not so fast.” Hunt added lightheartedly, “So I put out the proposal, and it’s still on hold as you can see. It’s just out there floating. You know, maybe you can encourage her.”
Berry’s hesitation stems from her history of three marriages and Hunt’s one previous union. She emphasized, “We don’t feel like we have to get married to validate our love in any way. We don’t.” Yet, she expressed openness to the idea, stating, “But I think we will get married just because, out of the people I’ve been married to, this is the person I should have married. And I feel like I should, we should get married, but it’s not because we feel like we have to. I think it’s something that we would like to do just because we want that expression.”
Her close circle has been supportive, with friends expressing joy at seeing her in a fulfilling partnership. Berry described her ideal as “a committed, loving relationship with like my best friend, someone that I respect and I love.”
Empowerment in Hollywood and New Projects
Beyond her personal life, Berry has been vocal about feeling truly valued in the film industry. While promoting her latest crime thriller, Crime 101, alongside Chris Hemsworth, Barry Keoghan, and Mark Ruffalo, she discussed the positive experience on set. As the only woman of color to win the Oscar for Best Actress in 2002—beating out contenders like Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench—Berry highlighted the significance of representation.
Describing her character, she said to host Graham Norton, “She stands up for all women in middle life. She has a voice. I think that has been a long time coming. Many women who are down the path of life like I am will feel very happy to be seen.” Berry praised the production environment, noting, “When you’ve been doing this for over 30 years and you say it is the all-time best, that’s something. You hear about the horror stories that go on in the industry, but not at all here. I have never felt more seen, protected and stood up for as I did on this movie.”
