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BETTY: So was that
it for nudity? Will
you keep taking your
clothes off?
HALLE:
I won't say no but I
don't know. If
another role affects
me like this and I
feel it's something
the character would
do - then I'll use
my body in way to
best serve the
character.
BETTY: Is there a
double standard in
the industry with
regards to female
vs. male nudity on
screen?
HALLE:
Definitely. That's
why I was so happy
that Billy [Bob
Thornton] went to
the same place I
went to. He was as
naked, as nude, as
exposed, as I was.
You saw everything
on him as you did
me. Men don't have
breasts so we didn't
get that thrill. But
he was just as
vulnerable.
BETTY: I heard it
was contractually
written that you and
Billy had final cut
on those scenes. Did
that help in your
decision to really
go for it
emotionally?
HALLE:
That freed us up to
go wherever we
wanted. We knew that
if it didn't look
right or if it was
too far or if we got
outside of our heads
too much - we could
erase it. We were
totally free.
BETTY: Since there
was so much
publicity over the
bonus of $500,000
for the gratuitous
boob shot in
Swordfish - did Joel
Silver ask for a
refund?
HALLE:
Knowing Joel, he
would probably feel
that way, but he
didn't have the
balls to call me on
the phone and ask
me. (laughs)
BETTY: You've
already walked away
with some great
awards for your role
as Dorothy
Dandridge, but I
feel this one is the
biggy for you. Have
you allowed yourself
yet to dream of
winning Oscar?
HALLE:
I'm trying really
hard not to take
myself there.
Because after all,
it's never been done
before. I'm just
hoping that the buzz
for this movie helps
draw people out
there to see it. As
for thinking about
winning an Oscar - I
don't want anything
to take the focus
away from why I did
this movie. Oscar
could go to anybody
and there were so
many wonderful
performances this
year. I've never
used that as
validation for my
work.
BETTY: I've read
before that you love
to play these
tortured characters.
What about them
attracts you?
HALLE:
For me, it's very
cathartic. At the
end of the movie I
felt so fresh and
clean - like I got
to release some of
the demons inside of
me. A lot of things
get held inside and
through art I'm able
to purge myself of
all of that. I
actually got to work
out some issues for
myself and that's
why I love to do it.
BETTY: How about the
child beating scene
in this movie? How
did the young actor
(Dante Beze) handle
Halle Berry hitting
him?
HALLE:
I don't have a
secret desire to
beat children. That
was harder than any
scene...harder than
the scene where I'm
butt naked. He's a
real child and he
has real issues with
obesity and all the
emotional baggage
that goes along with
that. I was worried
that making this
movie could really
damage him - perhaps
for the rest of his
life.
So before (and
after) every scene
I'd hug him and kiss
him. And what I've
done since filming
is stay in his life.
I really want to be
involved and keep in
touch with him. He
told me a lot of
things about who he
is and about the
pain he keeps
inside.
BETTY: That's
admirable. Some
actresses wouldn't
even take the time
to sign the kid's
script. Hey, is it
true that you may
also be a James Bond
lady? And if so,
which villainous
powers would you
like to possess?
HALLE:
Um, maybe. We're
working out all that
stuff right now. I
guess I'd like to
have a tongue that
chokes him!
BETTY: Your personal
life has certainly
had it's fair share
of ups and downs.
Are you amazed at
where you are right
now with your life?
HALLE:
Probably - because
there were moments
when I thought that
this or that was
going to do me in.
But nothing has! So
now I believe
nothing's going to
do me in really. I
survived. And that's
what life is about;
peaks and valleys. I
learned the most
about life and
myself in those
really dark hours.
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