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We’ve arguably taken Halle Berry for granted in her abilities as an actress. Even if she’s been in both great and no-so-great movies, her acting still elevates anything she takes on. Considering she’s displayed her acting talents in TV as well (Extant being one of her most memorable recent roles), she stays appealing the older she becomes.

Now 52 years old, she certainly doesn’t look her age. She’s also at that typical vulnerable point where Hollywood could potentially shun her for younger actresses. Has this affected the parts she’s receiving now or how much she’s earning?

Take a look at what Halle Berry’s really worth and whether she can choose what she wants to do.

Berry’s early days as an actress were not an easy road

Like most later Oscar winners, Berry started her acting career on TV. While she enjoyed winning beauty pageants before that (including being a runner-up in Miss USA), entering showbiz was a little more precarious. Many have perhaps forgotten she lived in a homeless shelter for a short time when pursuing an acting career in New York City. It was due to her modeling money running out before she could land any acting roles.

Another roadblock came when she was cast in a 1989 ABC series called Living Dolls. This was a spinoff series of the classic Tony Danza series Who’s the Boss?, yet was also one of the biggest bombs of the year. While shooting the show, she found out she had Type 1 Diabetes and even went into a coma before being diagnosed.

Rather than feel defeated, she landed more TV roles, most notably in Knots Landing before going into movies.

Spike Lee gave Berry her first movie break

Many have probably forgotten that Berry’s first major movie was a Spike Lee joint. Her 1991 role in Lee’s Jungle Fever won critical raves, even if she still had a way to go before moving up to the A-list.

Strangely enough, the film really putting her on the map was a 1993 TV miniseries called Alex Haley’s Queen. A lot of people may remember her from this and being wowed seeing her for the first time playing a mixed race character.

More dramatic parts ensued throughout the 1990s. She was finally recognized for yet another TV biopic: HBO’s Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. After winning an Emmy and a Golden Globe for this portrayal, it launched her on a quest to finally win an Oscar for a big-screen project. The connection between the real Dorothy Dandridge and Berry was also a near spiritual one based on similar life trajectories.

In the meantime, People and other media picked her as one of the most beautiful actresses of the 1990s.

Winning an Oscar for ‘Monster’s Ball’

Berry was doing very well financially by the late 1990s. She was making notable movies, becoming a spokeswoman for Revlon products, and was also conquering cable TV as it turned more theatrical.

Not until Berry starred in Monster’s Ball did she finally prove herself worthy of an Oscar. It was on the heels of her starring as Storm in the X-Men franchise, proving she could easily balance populist entertainment with more serious, award-worthy roles.

Since those days, Berry’s had a lot of ups and downs personally (as in bad marriages) and professionally. As one of the most down-to-earth superstars, though, it’s refreshing to see her take time on social media to showcase her beliefs and life.

Berry’s worth today

Halle Berry in John Wick: Chapter 3
Halle Berry in John Wick: Chapter 3 | John Wick: Chapter 3 via Twitter

Most sources place Berry’s worth at a solid $80 million, placing her in a bracket where she’d never have to work again if she didn’t want to. Fortunately, she’s still making movies now and again without pressures about age or critical response. Plus, she keeps everyone aware of her life on Twitter.

Some of her recent tweets show her rooting for Black Panther at the SAG Awards, reminding everyone Shonda Rhimes wrote Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and posting pics of her son.

She seems to have found more peace on a personal level. It’s also clear she could easily star in another Oscar-caliber film playing someone 20 years younger.

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