Halle Berry Family Tree: The Story Behind The First Black Best Actress Oscar

Halle Maria Berry (born Maria Halle Berry), born 14 August 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, is an American actress — 2002 Academy Award for Best Actress (Monster's Ball) — first Black woman ever to win Best Actress. X-Men series; Catwoman (2004); Cloud Atlas (2012).

The Family's Roots: A Mixed-Race Ohio Family

The Berry family is mixed-race: African-American father; English-white American mother.

Her Parents

Father: Jerome Jesse Berry (1936–2002) — psychiatric attendant; African-American; abandoned the family when Halle was 4; alcoholic; estranged before his 2002 death.

Mother: Judith Ann Hawkins Berry, born 1939 — English-American; psychiatric nurse at the same hospital where Jerome worked.

Her Sister

Heidi Berry-Henderson — Halle's elder sister.

Her First Husband: David Justice

David Justice, born 14 April 1966 — MLB outfielder (Atlanta Braves, World Series 1995). Married Halle on 1 January 1993; divorced 1997.

Her Second Husband: Eric Benét

Eric Benét Jordan, born 15 October 1966 — R&B singer. Married Halle on 24 January 2001; divorced 2005.

Her Third Husband: Olivier Martinez

Olivier Martinez, born 12 January 1966 — French actor. Married Halle on 13 July 2013; divorced October 2016.

Her Children

Nahla Ariela Aubry, born March 2008 — daughter (with model Gabriel Aubry; relationship 2005–2010).

Maceo Robert Martinez, born October 2013 — son (with Olivier Martinez).

The Berry Family Tree at a Glance

Father: Jerome Jesse Berry (1936–2002) — psychiatric attendant; abandoned family when Halle was 4.

Mother: Judith Ann Hawkins Berry (b. 1939) — English psychiatric nurse.

Sister: Heidi Berry-Henderson.

First Husband: David Justice (m. 1 January 1993, div. 1997).

Second Husband: Eric Benét (m. 24 January 2001, div. 2005).

Third Husband: Olivier Martinez (m. 13 July 2013, div. October 2016).

Children: Nahla (b. March 2008, with Gabriel Aubry); Maceo (b. October 2013, with Olivier Martinez).

Halle Berry:

  • Born 14 August 1966, Cleveland
  • Bedford High School (Cleveland)
  • Miss Teen All American 1985; Miss USA 1986 first runner-up; Miss World 1986 representative
  • Films: Boomerang (1992), The Last Boy Scout (1991), The Flintstones (1994), Bulworth (1998), X-Men (2000) and series (4 films), Swordfish (2001), Monster's Ball (2001 — Oscar Best Actress, first Black woman), Die Another Day (2002), Catwoman (2004), Cloud Atlas (2012), John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum (2019), Bruised (2020, also directed)
  • Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes: 1989 (after collapse on set)
  • Has been very public about Type 1 diabetes management

What the Berry Family Story Teaches Us

A father who abandoned the family when Halle was 4. An English-American psychiatric-nurse mother. An elder sister. Three marriages. Two children with two different partners. A Type 1 diabetes diagnosis at 22 that did not stop her career.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Halle story carries the same lesson. Some careers carry chronic health conditions invisibly. The 1989 Type 1 diabetes diagnosis is on the Berry family record alongside every film.

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