Halle Berry is bringing truth to women of a certain age: Life doesn’t stop after menopause.
In May 2024, the Oscar-winning actress took to Capitol Hill with bipartisan senators and advocated for legislation allocating $275 million to menopause research and education, igniting a powerful movement.
“It’s about women defining who we are and taking the shame out of aging,” she shared with EBONY during an interview about her new film, The Union. “We are our best selves right now. I’ve never felt better, never been better, never been wiser and smarter and more ready for the world than I am right now. If I can portray that in film and through art, then, hey, I’m here.”
Berry embodies all those mantras in her new action feature. She plays Roxanne, an operative in a secret agency known as The Union. When a job goes awry, and the company needs a fresh, new agent, she recruits her ex-high school sweetheart, played by Mark Wahlberg. Berry’s vitality resonates as she runs, jumps and dives into high-speed chases and fight scenes, kicking butt in a form-fitting leather jacket.
“Taking part in these action movies at this stage in my life and this age just proves we’re as old as we want to be. We’re as old as we say we are,” she emphasizes. “It’s the power within us to stay youthful and fit, and we can do it all naturally with confidence: Stay in shape, eat right and put our health first. It can be the best time of our lives.”
In her new film, Berry represents women in their fifties and beyond. The Union also showcases women as the power players behind its many twists and turns.
“It’s always nice, as a woman onscreen, to be empowered and feel strong and formidable. I always love when I get to play characters like that—all the women are in charge” she shares. “And in this movie, the woman got to go back and pluck the man out of obscurity, got him to realize his potential, got him out of his own backyard and put him in the world.”
Berry is a strong advocate for staying in shape at every age. Her regimen has been high-octane since she starred in John Wick 3 in 2019. “By the time I did [The Union], I had been in training for about four or five years. I did Wick and Bruised [in 2020]. After those two, I was ready,” she declares.
“I was learning the particular choreo for this film, and I did spend a significant amount of time doing that, but all the stuff is in my body. I’ve been training it for so long now that if you’ve got an action movie, I’m ready to go.”
A Berry in motion stays in motion!
The Union is now streaming on Netflix.
