Penelope Cruz Biography

Why Is She Famous?

Aside from having been romantically linked to some of the biggest actors in Hollywood, Penelope Cruz has appeared in a number of successful films, such as Blow (2001), Vanilla Sky (2001), Volver (2006), and The Good Night (2007). Able to jump from Spanish to English rose with ease, Penelope is the ultimate Hollywood Latin beauty, with oodles of talent to boot.

Penelope Cruz

Name : Penelope Cruz

Name At Birth : Penelope Cruz Sanchez

Date of Birth : 28 April 1974

Place of Birth : Madrid, Spain

Height : 5' 5½" (1.66 m)

Weight : 47Kg

Nickname : Pe, Madonna of Madrid

Eyes : Hazel

Hair : Brown

Penelope Cruz Picture

Father : Eduardo Cruz (auto mechanic)

Mother : Encarna Cruz (hairdresser manager)

Sister : Monica (professional flamenco dancer)

Brother : Eduardo Jr

Education : Secondary Studies (dropped out)

National Conservatory Madrid Spain (majored in Classical Ballet)

Cristina Rota's School in Nueva York (4 years

Mailing Address:

Penelope Cruz
c/o Creative Artists Agency
2000 Avenue Of The Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Penelope Cruz Sexy Photo

Penelope Cruz Biography:

Penelope Cruz Sanchez was born on April 28, 1974, in Madrid, Spain. She displayed a proclivity for performance while she was still in diapers, as she would often entertain her family members by re-enacting popular TV commercials. She eventually transferred this enthusiasm to the world of dance, and she subsequently studied classical ballet for nine years at Spain’s prestigious National Conservatory. Penelope Cruz seemed well on her way towards a career as a dancer, though there did come a point at which she was unexpectedly bitten by the acting bug.

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penelope cruz appears in belle epoque
While still in her teens, Penelope Cruz embarked on a quest to establish herself as an actress -- with her professional debut coming in 1991 with a guest appearance on a French soap entitled Softly from Paris. While that appearance hardly brought her visibility, Penelope Cruz’s first film role in 1992’s Jamon, jamon brought her to the attention of movie fans across the globe. The film, which co-stars Javier Bardem and was nominated for several Goya Awards, transformed Penelope Cruz into a sex symbol virtually overnight, while her starring role in the critically-acclaimed Belle epoque (released that same year) only cemented her status as one of Spain’s most intriguing up-and-coming performers.

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penelope cruz in open your eyes
Penelope Cruz spent the next several years working steadily in a number of Spanish-language films, including 1996’s La Celestina (alongside Maribel Verdu) and 1997’s Pedro Almodovar effort Live Flesh. It wasn’t until Penelope Cruz took on a role in the mind-bending 1997 flick Open Your Eyes that she once again found herself the focus of international attention, as the movie quickly became a cult classic thanks to its peculiar storyline and shocking conclusion. A year later, Penelope Cruz made her English-language debut with a small role opposite Billy Crudup and Woody Harrelson in The Hi-Lo Country, though it wasn’t until the new millennium that she finally began establishing herself among mainstream North American audiences.

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penelope cruz in blow
2000 proved to be the defining year of Penelope Cruz’s career, as the actress’ roles in Woman on Top and All the Pretty Horses propelled her to the top of Hollywood’s A-list. Though neither film was particularly successful, Penelope Cruz’s exotic looks and palpable abilities made her a hot commodity among some of the industry’s top directors and producers. Penelope’s output in 2001 was particularly prolific, as she appeared opposite Nicolas Cage in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Johnny Depp in Blow, Gael Garcia Bernal in Don’t Tempt Me, and Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky.

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penelope cruz in volver
Penelope Cruz’s return to Spanish-language cinema with 2006’s Volver garnered the actress some of the best reviews of her career, and she was even nominated for her first Academy Award (she ultimately lost to Helen Mirren, however). Her success with Volver lead to her roles in 2007's The Good Night alongside Gwyneth Paltrow and Simon Pegg, as well as Manolete opposite Oscar award winner, Adrien Brody.

Penelope Cruz Topless Bikini Photo

penelope cruz in elegy
2008 looked to be just as bright for Penelope Cruz as she took on the role of Consuela Castillo in Elegy along with Ben Kingsley and Dennis Hopper. Based on a novel, Elegy is a dramatic movie particularly suited to Penelope's acting prowess.

Along with her casting calls, Penelope was also ranked as No. 58 in Maxim's Hot 100 of 2007 list, and was chosen by Empire magazine as being one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the world.

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Trivia:

After filming All the Pretty Horses (2000), she became a vegetarian.

It was rumored that she donated her entire The Hi-Lo Country (1998) salary to the Mother Teresa's children's sanctuary in Calcutta after spending a week there volunteering. This was later denounced by Cruz, according to a Reuters news article in 2001.

Daughter of Eduardo (merchant) and Encarna (hairdresser).

Brother, Eduardo.

Academic curriculum: Finished 2º B.U.P. (2nd. year of secondary school). Had 4 years of dance performance with Cristina Rota, several dance courses at New York, 9 years of classic ballet at the Conservatorio Nacional and 3 years of Spanish ballet with Ángela Garrido. Also had Jazz Dance course with Raúl Caballero.

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Volunteered in Uganda for 2 months in 1997 with then boyfriend Faiz Ahmad.

She founded a non-government organisation (NGO) called Sabera Foundation. Together with Nacho Cano and other Spanish entertainers, they have set up a home, a school and a clinic for homeless girls and people suffering from tuberculosis in Calcutta. Two documentary programs were made for Spanish TV on this project. Unfortunately differences of opinion caused a collapse in the project and Sabera Foundation tragically no longer exists.

Dated Tom Cruise. [2001-January 2004]

She was named after the song "Penélope" by Joan Manuel Serrat.

Her sister Mónica Cruz is now a TV star in Spain. She starred in "Paso adelante, Un" (2002) as a young dancer with a famous aunt.

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Voted the 7th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian Empire Magazine September 2002.

Lived with Nacho Cano, Spanish musician, part of the trio (famous in Spain) called "Mecano", a pop music group. Penelope appeared in one of the band's video-clips "la Fuerza del Destino" and that's where her romance with one of the two Cano brothers that form part of the group along with the singer Ana Torroja begun.

Best friends with actresses Goya Toledo and Salma Hayek.

Ranked #23 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).

Likes to keep stray cats.

Learned Italian because she wanted her part in the movie Non ti muovere (2004) really badly. It paid off and she went on to win the Italian equivalent of the Oscars for Best Actress.

Speaks four languages: Spanish, Italian, French and English.

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Was accompanied by Matthew McConaughey to the Grammy Awards in 2005. The couple met on the set of Sahara (2005).

Shares her birthday with Jessica Alba & Jay Leno

Spanish citizen.

Two of her boyfriends have been named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People Magazine: Tom Cruise (in 1990) and Matthew McConaughey (in 2005).

Sister of Monica Cruz

Bigas Luna was determined to have her starring as the lead character in the torrid Edades de Lulú, Las (1990), but Penélope was only 14. They agreed that she was too young for the role and Francesca Neri was cast instead. Two years later, Luna's fixation with Cruz resulted in her breakthrough performance in Jamón, jamón (1992), her first film, famous for her somewhat erotic scenes. They eventually collaborated again in Volavérunt (1999).

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Claims that Victoria Abril's powerful performance in Pedro Almodóvar's ¡Átame! (1990) ("Tie me up, tie me down!") determined her to become an actress.

Ranked as #51 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005)

She claims her role in Bigas Luna's Jamón, jamón (1992) psychologically scarred her for life. She was a teenager when she was cast in the film which required her to do nudity and sex scenes.

Named #72 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).

Good friends with ex-boyfriend Tom Cruise. She was one of the first people to visit his new-born baby daughter Suri.

One of People magazines 50 Most Beautiful People in the world 2005.

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Sister of singer Eduardo Cruz and actress Mónica Cruz.

Second Spanish performer to be Oscar-nominated. The first one was Javier Bardem.

Is a fan of Indian cinema and has expressed interest in working with Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan someday.

Ranked #58 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list.

Choosen by Empire Magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the world (#50) 2007.

In 2006, she was earning $2 million per year representing L'Oreal cosmetics.

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Personal Quotes:

The most difficult thing in the world is to start a career known only for your looks, and then to try to become a serious actress. No one will take you seriously once you are known as the pretty woman.

I'm strong and opinionated. Those qualities brought me a lot of problems since I was a little girl in school, saying 'I don't agree' and fighting with the children. It's part of my curiosity for life.

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There's so much more I want to do. I refuse to get to 50 and wait at home for the phone to ring. In Spain, actresses work until they are old. That's my plan.

Penelope Cruz Hot

"I love Salma Hayek, we've been friends for a really long time. i admire how she has come such a long way and always remained grounded and who she is. She never compromises to follow her vision and she is loyal. Such qualities only mark the great stars".

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"I love the Italian culture, it's a beautiful culture. I love the language, the Italian people, their music, their attitudes...I just love it! Sometimes I think I'm an Italian trapped in a Spanish woman's body.

You cannot live your life looking at yourself from someone else's point of view.

--- Penelope Cruz

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Paz Vega Biography

Why Is She Famous?

An A-list celebrity in Spain, Vega earned international renown after her stunning work in the sex-filled Sex and Lucia. She was later cast by Pedro Almodovar in Talk to Her and will soon make her American big-screen debut in James L. Brooks' Spanglish.

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Name :
Paz Vega

Birth Name :
Paz Campos Trigo

Date of Birth :
January 2, 1976

Place of Birth :
Sevilla, Spain

Height :
5' 8

Nationality :
Spanish

Profession :
Actor

Claim to Fame :
As Lucia in Sex and Lucia (2001)

Spouse:
Orson Salazar (2002 - present) 1 child

Mailing Address
Paz Vega
c/o Creative Artists Agency
2000 Avenue Of The Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Paz Vega Images

Awards:

Phoenix Film Critics Society Award
Year : 2004
Category : Breakout of the Year - On Screen
For : Spanglish
Won

Sant Jordi Award
Year : 2002
Category : Best Spanish Actress (Mejor Actriz Española)
For : Lucía y el sexo
Won

Ondas Award
Year : 2001
Category : Best Actress (Mejor Actriz)
For : Lucía y el sexo
Won

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Trivia:

Took her surname Vega from her grandmother.

Majored in journalism, but dropped out of college after two years to pursue an acting career.

After two years at the acting school, she moved to Madrid, where she worked in bars while auditioning for every gig she heard about.

Was a television star before making it in movies.

Husband is Venezuelan. They met while vacationing on a Spanish island.

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Her stage name translated into English means 'peace meadow'.

Got an "Introducing" credit for Spanglish (2004), despite it being her 13th film.

Shares birthday with Kate Bosworth, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tia Carrere, Saint Teresa of Lisieux, and writer Isaac Asimov.

Spanish citizen.

Her father was a bullfighter.

She and her husband welcomed their first son, Orson (2 May 2007).

Paz Vega Hot Wallpaper

Paz Vega Biography:

Paz Vega was born on January 2, 1976, in Seville, the Spanish town famous for Carmen and singing barbers. The slender and athletic Paz first dreamed of being a sports star and later took interest in politics. At age 15, all it took was a day at the theater to cement her ambitions; a performance of La Casa de Bernarda Alba set her sights on acting for good.

At 16, Paz left school and patiently waited for the prestigious Centro Andaluz de Teatro acting school to accept her. After two years at the acting school and another two studying journalism, Paz moved to Madrid, where she sought fame. She changed her name to Paz Vega (her grandmother's last name) and worked in bars while auditioning for every acting job she could.

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Paz's first big jobs came on TV, where she appeared in three episodes of the Spanish series Menudo es mi padre, and in two other series, Mas que amigos and Companeros. In 1999, Paz got her first major movie role in Zapping, in which she played a hot sex-loving vixen who snagged another woman's husband. That same year, she had a minor part in Sobrevivire (I Will Survive), which got people noticing her.

Paz then returned to television with the career-making role of Laura in the series, 7 vidas. It was this role that endeared her to all of Spain. Filmmaker Mateo Gil liked Paz so much that he gave her a major part in his movie Nadie conoce a nadie (Nobody Knows Anybody, 1999). As she juggled TV and movies, she quickly learned the inner workings of the film industry.

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Movie director Julio Medem saw her potential and asked Vega to leave her TV role to dedicate herself to his new project. His film would be provocative, steamy and sensual, so he needed just the right actress. In 2001, Lucia y el sexo (Sex and Lucia) hit theaters. It told the story, in graphic and lurid detail, of an innocent girl who slowly discovers her sexuality. Paz appeared nude, acting with her whole body in a gush of sensuality. Sex and Lucia became an international hit and won Paz a Goya, Spain's biggest movie award, for Best New Actress.

With the success of Sex and Lucia, Vega was courted by the biggest names in the film industry. Spain's most important director, Pedro Almodovar, gave her a part in his award-winning film Hable con ella (Talk to Her, 2002). Soon after, she was seen in the musical romantic comedy, El otro lado de la cama (The Other Side of the Bed, 2002).

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After two more movies, including a rendition of Carmen in 2003, Paz started being coveted abroad. James L. Brooks, of The Simpsons and As Good as It Gets, signed her for his new directing project, a comedy called Spanglish, with Adam Sandler and Tea Leoni. This movie will no doubt raise her profile in the U.S. and she will hopefully be seen in more American movies. After Spanglish, Paz can be seen in 2005's Un angel en la oscuridad in the pipeline.

Paz Vega currently lives in Madrid, Spian with husband Orson Salazar.

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Paz Vega Quotes:

"I don't want to play only Latin women. I want to have roles in English."

"I am only an actress when they say, 'action' and I stop being an actress when they say, 'cut'. I am a normal person outside of acting."

Paz Vega Sexy Images

Filmography:

Novo ( 2004 )
Spanglish ( 2004 )
The Other Side of the Bed ( 2003 )
Sex and Lucia (Lucia y El Sexo) ( 2002 )
Talk to Her ( 2002 )
Solo Mia ( 2001 )
Nadie Conoce A Nadie ( 1999 )

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Paz Vega Beautyful Picture

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Halle Berry Biography

Why Is She Famous?

Halle Berry has starred in such movies as Boomerang (1992), Bulworth (1998), the three installments of X-Men, Swordfish (2001), Monster's Ball (2001), the Bond vehicle Die Another Day (2002), Gothika (2003), Catwoman (2004), X-men: The Last Stand (2006), Perfect Stranger (2007), and Things We Lost In The Fire (2007). She has the ability to take on incredibly diverse roles that don't always focus on her beauty, and that is what makes her even hotter than your usual actress.

Halle Berry Picture

Date of Birth:

14 August 1966, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Birth Name:

Halle Maria Berry

Height:

5' 7" (1.70 m)

Spouse:

Eric Benét (24 January 2001 - 3 January 2005) (divorced) David Justice (31 December 1992 - 24 June 1997) (divorced)

Halle Berry Pictures

Salary:

Perfect Stranger (2007) $10,000,000

Catwoman (2004) $14,000,000

Gothika (2003) $6,000,000

Die Another Day (2002) $4,000,000

Monster's Ball (2001) $600,000

Swordfish (2001) $2,500,000

Executive Decision (1996) $1,000,000

Mailing Adress:

Halle Berry
c/o SFM
1122 S. Robertson Blvd., Suite 15
Los Angeles, CA 90035

--------------------------------------

Halle Berry
c/o Broadway Talent Agency
175 W. 2700 South, Suite 230
Salt Lake City, UT 84115

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Awards:

Black Reel
Year : 2002
Category : Theatrical - Best Actress
For : Monster's Ball
Won

Oscar
Year : 2002
Category : Best Actress in a Leading Role
For : Monster's Ball
Won

Screen Actors Guild Awards
Year : 2002
Category : Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
For : Monster's Ball

Bambi Awards
Year : 2002
Category : Film - International
Won

Berlin International Film Festival
Year : 2002
Category : Best Actress
For : Monster's Ball
Won

BET Award
Year : 2002
Category : Best Actress
Won

NBR Award
Year : 2001
Category : Best Actress
For : Monster's Ball

Emmy Awards
Year : 2000
Category : Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
For : Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
Won

Golden Globe
Year : 2000
Category : Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
For : Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
Won

Screen Actors Guild Awards
Year : 2000
Category : Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
For : Introducing Dorothy Dandridge

Black Reel
Year : 200
Category : Network/Cable - Best Actress
For : Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
Won

Blockbuster Entertainment Award
Year : 1997
Category : Favorite Actress - Adventure/Drama
For : Executive Decision
Won

Hella Berry sexy Picture

Halle Berry Biography:

Born on August 14, 1966, in Cleveland, Ohio, Halle Maria Berry and her older sister, Heidi, were raised by their mother, Judith, a psychiatric ward nurse. Halle Berry's father walked out on the family when she was only 4 years old.

Although living in a single-parent household was somewhat tough, Halle's mom managed to move the family out of the inner-city neighborhood and into the suburbs of Cleveland. But because the neighborhood was predominantly white, Halle and her sister were treated cruelly because of their dark skin.

halle berry in miss usa pageant

Determined not to let the color of her skin get the best of her, Halle Berry made it a point to make friends, and her dream of becoming an actress already began to surface.

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By the time Halle Berry reached high school, she was a cheerleader, an honor society member, editor of the school paper, and class president. Not surprisingly, she was crowned her high school's prom queen. In 1983, when she was only 17 years old, Halle's then-boyfriend entered her name in the Miss Teen Ohio beauty pageant. Once again, it's no surprise that Halle Berry got to wear the crown in that competition.

But it didn't stop there: Halle Berry won many other high-profile competitions, including Miss Teen All-American, Miss USA (first runner-up) and Miss World. Once she was done raking in points by winning pageant after pageant, Halle continued her education at Cleveland's Cuyahoga Community College in 1986, studying broadcast journalism.

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halle berry stars in jungle fever

Unfortunately, Halle Berry didn't complete her degree -- she left the program to pursue a more glamorous career in modeling and started studying acting in Chicago. Although Halle Berry auditioned for Aaron Spelling for a part in Charlie's Angels and didn't get the role, Spelling encouraged Halle to pursue her dreams of being an actress.

Halle Berry moved to Manhattan, where she immediately landed her first TV gig in Living Dolls. Although the show was short-lived, Halle was more determined than ever to become a great actress.

Halle Berry got her first big break in 1991 when Spike Lee cast her as a crack-addicted woman in Jungle Fever, costarring Samuel L. Jackson. Halle was so determined to execute the role perfectly that she actually interviewed real addicts and stopped bathing 10 days before filming the racially charged film.

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halle berry stars in boomerang

Soon after, Halle Berry reverted to television with a recurring role on the popular prime-time soap opera Knots Landing in 1991.

But the big screen was where Halle Berry wanted to be and she soon landed another part, this time playing Damon Wayans' exotic girlfriend in the film The Last Boy Scout (1991), which also starred Bruce Willis.

In 1992, Halle landed a starring role opposite none other than the man of comedy himself, Eddie Murphy, in Boomerang. In 1993, she married Atlanta Braves right fielder David Justice. Unfortunately, the marriage was short-lived and they divorced in 1996.

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halle berry stars as dorothy dandridge

Next, Halle Berry decided to take a lighter acting job and starred in the 1994 movie The Flintstones, but her riveting big-screen role as an illiterate addict who abandons her child in a garbage can in 1995's Losing Isaiah shot her star up high.

Unfortunately for Halle Berry, she missed a great opportunity when she passed up the lead role in the film Speed, which ultimately worked wonders for Sandra Bullock's career.

Other movies that Halle Berry starred in include Executive Decision (1996), Race the Sun (1996), B*A*P*S (1997), Bulworth (1998), and Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999), for which she won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV movie.

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halle berry stars as storm in x-men

In 2000, Halle Berry starred as Storm/Ororo Munroe in the live film adaptation of the cartoon strip X-Men -- along with fellow mutants Rebecca Romijn and Famke Janssen.

Halle Berry also returned to modeling as a spokeperson for Revlon. And because Halle Berry was diagnosed with diabetes, she became an avid volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes Association.

halle berry's hit and run

Unfortunately, Berry made headlines when she was charged with a hit and run in 2000. She pleaded no contest and the judge ordered her to perform 200 hours of community service. She also made news when she was allegedly paid a $500,000 bonus to reveal her breasts in a scene in 2001's hacker film, Swordfish.

In 2001, Halle Berry married soul singer Eric Benet, but the couple divorced in 2003.

Halle wins an oscar for monster's ball

2001 wasn't all bad for Halle Berry, however. She received the 2002 SAG award for Best Actress in Monster's Ball and made history at the Oscars as the first black actress to receive a Best Actress Academy Award. Her Oscar triumph cemented her as an A-list actress.

But that didn't mean Halle Berry was giving up action blockbusters: She appeared as Bond Girl Jinx in the film Die Another Day (2002), as well as in X2 (2003), the second installment of the X-Men franchise.

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halle berry is catwoman

Next, Halle appeared in the psychological thriller Gothika (2003) and in Catwoman (2004), which was panned by critics.

Later that year, Halle Berry made headlines again when her allegedly abusive ex-lover was revealed as Wesley Snipes, although Halle herself never confirmed this.

halle berry in x-men: the last stand

In 2005, Halle Berry appeared in the TV movie Their Eyes Were Watching God and lent her voice to the animated film Robots. Her projects for 2006 included the third X-Men installment, X-Men: The Final Stand, and the thriller Perfect Stranger.

Halle Berry was also named the new face of Versace. During a photoshoot for the designer, Halle Berry met her boyfriend, top model Gabriel Aubry.

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Hella Berry Quotes:

On Dorothy Dandridge: "...You have to find a way to be sad on every day, in every scene, in every moment. And always try to hide the sadness. And (then) you'll get the essence of who she was."

"This moment is so much bigger than me, This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll... It's for the women that stand beside me, Jada Pinkett Smith, Angela Bassett, Vivica A. Fox... and it's for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance, because the door tonight has been opened." - During her Oscar acceptance speech.

On choosing both serious and popcorn-movie roles: "There's art and there's commerce. You have to find a way to mesh the two. It's important to do the little movies just for the love of the art. But it's those big movies that take you around the world and make you globally famous."

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I'll never get married again, and I always hate to say never to anything, but I will never marry again.

I was black growing up in an all-white neighborhood, so I felt like I just didn't fit in. Like I wasn't as good as everybody else, or as smart, or whatever.

Blackness is a state of mind and I identify with the black community. Mainly, because I realized, early on, when I walk into a room, people see a black woman, they don't see a white women. So out of that reason alone, I identify more with the black community.

I spent a lot of time with a crown on my head.

The worst thing a man can ever do is kiss me on the first date.

I don't see a white woman. I see a black woman, even though my mother is white [her father Jerome is black]. Knowing that has made my life easier, I think.

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I want to be the next Spike Lee. I want to help other black folks to get into Hollywood and be successful in Hollywood.

What is my real purpose here? I've looked at what I do. I make believe and make movies. I entertain people and get paid for it. Sometimes it seems like such a shallow existence. How insignificant in the scheme of life.

"When I was a kid, my mother told me that if you could not be a good loser, then there's no way you could be a good winner. And I hope to God I never see these people again." - on accepting her Razzie Award for Worst Actress

I never wanted to be a model. My modeling career was nothing but a stepping stone to my acting career and that's all I ever saw it as. A pointless rock in the river that has to be stepped on in order to get to the meaningful oasis of acting.

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I guess you could say I have bad taste in men. But I no longer feel the need to be someone's wife.

(On receiving a film festival award while pregnant) I am three times the girl I used to be. This is the second red carpet where I didn't have to think about sucking in my stomach - because I can't!

---Hella Berry

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