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Halle Berry won Oscars for 'Monster's Ball' but credits one ‘silly’ 1994 movie as life-changing

Berry credits a 1994 family comedy flick for shaping her career as a Black actress in Hollywood.

Fans credit 'Monster’s Ball' as the game changer for renowned actress Halle Berry, as the movie not only earned her superstar status but also cemented her as a force to reckon with in Hollywood. The film also won her an Academy Award, making history as Berry became the first Black actress to get the prestigious honor. However, Berry opines otherwise and credits a family comedy flick for shaping her career. 

The movie in question is Brian Levant's 'The Flintstones,' which was released on May 27, 1994. Based on the 1960s Hanna-Barbera Productions animation, the movie is set in the prehistoric suburban city of Bedrock. Led by John Goodman (Fred Flintstone) and Elizabeth Perkins (his wife, Wilma), the movie was a smash hit.

Berry played the character of Sharon Stone, who is a secretary at Slate & Co., the construction company where Fred works. While the film predominantly featured a white cast, Berry's role as a glamorous secretary who was more than just an eye candy garnered praise. Surprisingly, Berry was not the first choice for the role, as the producer, Steven Spielberg, shared that he wanted the real Sharon Stone to play the femme fatale secretary, but the actress turned the job down for Mark Rydell's 'Intersection,' as per SyFy.

In honor of 'The Flintstones' 30th anniversary, Berry shared a heartfelt video on her Instagram and penned, "You guys message me every year about 'The Flintstones' film so I thought I’d do something special for the 30th anniversary." Love you all for loving Miss Stone all this time." The diva reflected on her role as the scheming Stone with a sense of pride and nostalgia, as per She Knows. She said, "Being a Black woman in 'Bedrock' seemed like a little thing, but, you know, 'The Flintstones' was the fabric of our culture."

Berry further shared, "I knew that this was a big step forward for Black people, Black women especially." For Berry, the part represented more than just a character, as it was a chance to break new ground and be part of something iconic. She said, "While it was silly, and it was over the top and campy, I knew then how important this little part in this big movie actually would be."

This is not the first time when the talented actress shared her admiration for the renowned flick. The Oscar winner once recounted, "This film was really important to me because to be a Black woman and to be the object of everyone’s desire in this movie is such a coup," as per Far Out Magzine. Berry also highlighted the progressive casting decision. "The fact that these executives at the studio, who are all White males, took the risk to have a Black woman as this character says a lot as to where we’re going." However, she added, "We don’t want to be just sex objects or be just beautiful. But the level of consciousness is being raised, and that’s important to me. We’re starting to be seen a little differently."