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20 years later, Halle Berry reveals what she truly thought of ‘Catwoman’ script: “The idea felt a bit...”

Two decades later, Halle Berry opens up about her 'Catwoman' role, and how she “didn’t love” the backlash

It’s been 20 years since 'Catwoman' hit theaters, and Halle Berry is looking back on the film that became one of the most infamous superhero movies in Hollywood history. During an interview, the Oscar-winning actress opened up about her thoughts on the movie’s script, its failure to connect with audiences, and how she handled the harsh criticism that followed. She revealed she wasn’t entirely sold on the story but didn’t feel she had a say at the time. “I always thought the idea of Catwoman saving women from a face cream felt a bit soft,” she shared with Entertainment Weekly, adding, “All the other superheroes save the world; they don’t just save women from cracked faces. I always knew that was a soft superhero plight, but at that time in my career, I didn’t have the agency I have today or belief that I could challenge that, so I went along with it.”

For the unversed, 'Catwoman' follows Patience Phillips (Berry), a graphic designer who discovers a dangerous secret at the cosmetics company she works for. When she learns the company’s new face cream has harmful side effects, she’s killed. Resurrected by a mystical Egyptian mau cat, Patience gains feline abilities and sets out to fight back. Despite its ambitious concept, the film flopped, earning just $82 million worldwide on a $100 million budget and "winning" four Razzie Awards, including Worst Picture and Worst Actress. However, for Berry, while the backlash was hard, it didn’t define her.

“I didn’t love [the backlash],” she said, adding, “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 reported by Deadline.

In a move that surprised many, Berry reportedly attended the Razzie Awards in person to accept her “Worst Actress” trophy with humor and a sense of self-awareness. “I told [the studio] I wanted to take the piss out of it and laugh at it,” she said, adding, “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.”

While 'Catwoman' wasn’t the standout moment of her career, Berry used the experience as a chance to grow. She took the criticism in stride, laughed at herself, and kept pushing forward. It’s a reminder that even in the face of failure, strength and humor can help you move on. However, if you want to re-watch 'Catwoman', it's available for free with ads on Tubi or through subscription services like Max. Additionally, you can also rent or buy it on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, with rentals starting at $2.89.