Halle Berry Reveals ‘Catwoman’ Backlash Hit Harder Due to Her Race: “Growing up as a Black woman, that’s two strikes against you”

by

As a gamer with a deep appreciation for movies spanning various genres, I can’t help but empathize with Halle Berry‘s journey as an actress, especially after watching her portray Storm and Catwoman on the silver screen. The backlash she faced over “Catwoman” was indeed harsh, and it’s heartening to see her resilience in the face of adversity.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but acknowledge Halle Berry’s incredible mark in the superhero genre. She breathed life into Storm, one of Marvel’s revered mutants, in the Fox X-Men series. Furthermore, she graced the DC universe by donning the role of Catwoman in a movie that bears her feline alter ego’s name.

Despite Catwoman being a well-known figure within the Batman franchise and the thought of a solo film appearing enticing, the movie’s negative reviews came close to jeopardizing Halle Berry’s acting career.

20 years have passed since the movie “Catwoman” was first unveiled, but it didn’t fare well in terms of public reception or financial success. Despite a budget of $100 million, it managed to earn only $82 million at the box office. This production was not spared from criticism and even received recognition for its poor quality, with seven nominations for Golden Raspberry Awards and four wins – including Worst Picture, Worst Actress (Halle Berry), Worst Director, and Worst Screenplay.

1. The film often shows up on lists ranking poorly among superhero movies, while also serving as a constant inspiration for meme creators.

Reflecting on a recent chat with Entertainment Weekly, I, a devoted fan, can’t help but ponder over Halle Berry’s poignant reflections about the biting criticism she endured when the movie initially premiered and continues to encounter, even as a new crop of viewers rediscovers it with a revitalized outlook. Interestingly, she shared that this negative reception hit hard because of my race, an aspect I’ve had to grapple with throughout my life, dealing with similar challenges along the way.

I didn’t love [the backlash]. Being a Black woman, I’m used to carrying negativity on my back, fighting, being a fish swimming upstream by myself. I’m used to defying stereotypes and making a way out of no way. I didn’t want to be casual about it, but I went and collected that Razzie, laughed at myself, and kept it moving. It didn’t derail me because I’ve fought as a Black woman my whole life. A little bad publicity about a movie? I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t going to stop my world or derail me from doing what I love to do.

As a Black woman, I often felt the deck was stacked against me with two disadvantages right from the start. Yet, an inherent strength within me has always emerged. It was disheartening when the weight of those circumstances was placed upon me, and it still stings that I’m judged for it even today. I accept it as part of my journey, a chapter in my life story. I’ve carried other triumphs and setbacks too. People may voice their opinions, but sometimes they’re more prominent than others. The key is to keep pushing forward.

Berry mentioned the Razzies too, admitting that although she didn’t completely disregard the movie, she needed to present an air of nonchalance towards it. Even though she held a soft spot for the film, she minimized its importance in her public statements.

The studio knew what I was going to do at the Razzies. I told them I wanted to take the piss out of it and laugh at it. I don’t think it’s a God-awful film, but I was at the Razzies, so I had to do what they do; I s— on it because they s— on it! I wrote [that speech] within an inch of my life. I put a lot of thought into how I could do it in a fun way and let everyone know I didn’t take it that seriously. You can never take away my Oscar, no matter how bad you bash me! If you say I earned it, I’ll take this, too.

In essence, “Catwoman” is often seen as a film that didn’t live up to expectations, and it’s unlikely that its flaws were due to racial or personal issues; instead, it seemed to be poorly constructed and overly dramatic. As Halle Berry herself mentioned, the critics weren’t kind, but younger audiences are now rediscovering it with a fresh perspective, much like how fans have recently been reassessing the Star Wars prequel trilogy and Hayden Christensen following years of criticism.

Read More

2024-08-22 13:44