Halle Berry ignited debate at The New York Times DealBook Summit in New York City on December 3, 2025, as she delivered a candid address that critiqued the treatment of women and directly confronted California Governor Gavin Newsom’s decisions. Her Halle Berry DealBook Summit speech not only shared personal experience but sharply criticized policies and social attitudes that she believes devalue women’s voices and needs.
Berry, a celebrated actress and founder of Respin, used the summit stage to call out the persistent challenges facing women in Hollywood, business, and government. She described years of advocacy for menopause care, highlighted her frustrations with political resistance in her home state, and underscored the broader culture’s tendency to marginalize older women.
Berry’s Advocacy for Women Faces Political Roadblocks
Beginning with reflections on her own professional journey, Berry transitioned quickly from personal history to public critique, addressing a culture that continues to honor women in theory but not in practice. Her speech, reported by attendees and The Hollywood Reporter, drew an attentive response from the crowd of executives, policy leaders, and public figures.
She recounted her consistent lobbying efforts in Washington and across the United States for better support of menopause research and comprehensive women’s health education. Despite national campaigns, Berry emphasized that her hardest setback came in California, where Governor Newsom had twice vetoed a menopause-support bill she championed.
“At this stage in my life, I have zero [expletive] left to give,”
– Halle Berry, Actress and Activist
Berry’s comments combined a sense of resolve with clear anger at policies failing women, echoing the sentiment that women’s health and well-being should not be dismissed by those in power.
Targeting California’s Leadership
Berry’s frustration became most apparent when she singled out her state’s top official in front of the summit attendees. She addressed the governor’s decision head-on, expressing disappointment that progress was being blocked so close to home.
“Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one, but two years in a row,”
– Halle Berry, Actress and Activist
“But that’s okay, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us, he probably should not be our next president either. Just saying.”
– Halle Berry, Actress and Activist
Berry’s statements linked policy decisions directly to political consequences, suggesting that ignoring women’s issues could impede Newsom’s future ambitions. Her remarks invoked recent high-profile political debates, such as the Fox News debate between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Newsom in Georgia, amplifying the national significance of these state-level choices.
She argued that her work as a founder and advocate is about creating opportunities for herself and future generations, revealing the personal motivation behind her activism. Berry’s own path as an artist, entrepreneur, and activist framed her criticism of government inaction as both deeply personal and broadly relevant.
“As a founder, I’m building for myself what I wish I had 10 years ago with the knowing that it’s going to help generations and generations to come,”
– Halle Berry, Actress and Founder
Cultural Pressures That Marginalize Women Over 50
Shifting from public policy to societal norms, Berry addressed the audience with a sobering assessment of how American society continues to sideline older women. She argued that, despite ongoing discussions about wellness and longevity, women her age remain dismissed and undervalued in Hollywood, the workplace, and even on social media.
“Our culture thinks that at 59 years old, I am past my prime, and that women my age start to become invisible in Hollywood, in the workplace, on social media,”
– Halle Berry, Actress
“Women are pressured to stay forever 35.”
– Halle Berry, Actress
Berry highlighted the unrealistic standard that women are expected to appear perpetually youthful, criticizing the view that only those “defying gravity” or “aging backwards” deserve recognition or worth. Her words pointed to a deeper problem with how women in midlife are valued, fueling ongoing debates about ageism and representation in both Hollywood and corporate America.
“We’re complimented if we seem to be aging backwards or defying gravity, as if that’s even possible, and if we somehow manage to look younger than our years, it’s suggested that’s the gold standard that our worth should be measured by,”
– Halle Berry, Actress
The Daily Challenge to Remain Visible
Berry described the pressure to remain visible and relevant in a society relentlessly focused on youth. She acknowledged the internal and external demands to alter her appearance, underscoring how these societal messages impact even accomplished women at the top of their fields.
She shared a powerful childhood memory from Cleveland, Ohio—an experience of bullying that left her feeling powerless, but ultimately gave her the resolve to resist mistreatment for the rest of her life. The memory was used to illustrate the lifelong struggle women face to defend themselves against exclusion, criticism, and marginalization.
“But as I was walking home, I said, no. I’m never going to allow this to happen to me again,”
– Halle Berry, Actress
“I’m never not going to stand up for myself. I’ll never allow myself to be a victim like that, and since I was in the sixth grade, I have never allowed myself to be misused or abused or mistreated in any way.”
– Halle Berry, Actress
This narrative of resilience resonated with summit attendees, underscoring the intersection of personal memory and collective struggle in Berry’s advocacy.
Debate Over Intimacy and Autonomy on Mother’s Day
Berry’s willingness to speak openly about women’s autonomy extended beyond politics and into her personal life. Her candid use of her platform often provokes strong reactions, most recently triggered by a social media post celebrating Mother’s Day.
On June 4, 2025, while guest hosting on Today with Jenna & Friends, Berry responded to public criticism of a short video she shared on Instagram the previous month. The video, posted from Cannes, France on May 11, showed her in bed with longtime partner Van Hunt, highlighting Respin’s intimacy gel—one of her products aimed at supporting women through menopause.
The video, playful in tone, concluded with a lighthearted exchange between Berry and Hunt. Hunt’s quip added humor to their public display of affection:
“Yes. I wish you’d hurry up, too,”
– Van Hunt, Musician
The post was met with mixed responses online, with some critics arguing that the topic of intimacy was out of place for a day meant to honor mothers. Despite no explicit content, Berry found herself at the center of an online debate about how mothers should conduct themselves, and what topics are suitable for public discussion.
Standing Up to Critics of Personal Expression
During her conversation with Jenna Bush Hager, Berry acknowledged that the negative feedback—particularly from women—caught her off guard. She pushed back against the notion that others should dictate how she celebrates her own motherhood or discusses her private life in public.
“It did because women, other women, got in their feelings and, ‘Was it right for her to be in her bed talking about spinning with her man?’ Yes!”
– Halle Berry, Actress
“And they were saying, ‘And should she be talking about that on Mother’s Day? Shouldn’t she be with her kids somewhere?’ First of all, it’s not ‘Kids’ Day.’ It’s called ‘Mother’s Day.’ ‘Kids’ Day’ is every day of the year.”
– Halle Berry, Actress
Berry explained that “spinning” was merely her euphemism for intimacy and insisted there was nothing inappropriate about her message or her decision to speak openly about sexual health. She emphasized that no one else was entitled to define her celebration of motherhood or her approach to public life.
Pushing Society Toward Openness About Women’s Experiences
Rejecting arguments that Instagram is strictly a “family channel,” Berry contended that families themselves are richer and healthier for having open conversations about intimacy and love. She framed her advocacy as part of a larger mission to normalize these discussions and empower women to be forthright about their experiences.
“We have sex. It’s the most natural thing we do,”
– Halle Berry, Actress
“That’s really a key component to longevity.”
– Halle Berry, Actress
She pointed out that her video contained nothing more than two adults in bed and argued that the widespread outrage was unwarranted. When Hager commented that Berry was in love, Berry affirmed that message. The focus, according to Berry, should be on connection, kindness, and openness, rather than on shaming honest discussions about intimacy.
Her appearance on Today also included conversation on other facets of her personal life, showing how her advocacy and her day-to-day choices often intersect in the public sphere.
Marriage, Commitment, and Redefining Love
Later that day, Berry and Van Hunt took part in an online interview where they revealed he had proposed marriage. Hunt addressed the matter with humor, making clear the proposal had not led to an immediate wedding:
“So I put out the proposal, and it’s still on hold as you can see,”
– Van Hunt, Musician
When pressed about her reasons, Berry cited both her and Hunt’s previous marriages as part of their decision to not rush toward wedding vows. She explained that their love required no validation through traditional ceremonies, but added that marriage might occur if both truly desired it for its own sake in the future. Berry also admitted that, among all her relationships, Hunt represented the partner she felt a deep partnership and friendship with—that elusive ideal she had always sought.
A Lasting Relationship Based on Respect and Friendship
Making their partnership public in 2020, Berry and Hunt have shared glimpses into a relationship marked by affection, playful candor, and mutual support. Berry shared with her audience that those closest to her approved of her connection to Hunt and emphasized her long-held dream of finding a relationship based as much on deep friendship as on romantic love.
Despite the criticisms of her public posts, Berry remained steadfast in her assertion that mothers deserve the freedom to define their celebrations and speak openly about love and desire. She stated:
“It’s my day, and if I want to be in bed and spin with my man, then that’s what I am going to do.”
– Halle Berry, Actress
Bigger Implications: Challenging Politics and Culture on Women’s Terms
Halle Berry’s forceful performance at the DealBook Summit, combined with her outspokenness about intimacy and aging, drew attention to the gaps between what society professes and how it treats women in reality. By taking direct aim at Governor Gavin Newsom’s vetoes, Berry linked the struggle for women’s health, visibility, and autonomy to larger patterns of exclusion from political and cultural leadership.
Her speech at the summit and her high-profile defense of her personal choices on national television signal a refusal to retreat. The narrative she advances—whether discussing menopause advocacy, confronting ageism in Hollywood, or defending her right to share intimate moments—centers on personal ownership, resilience, and calling out systems that limit women’s freedom to define their own lives. Public figures and policymakers, including Newsom, have little room to ignore the urgency that Berry and countless other women continue to bring into the political and cultural conversation.
As Berry continues to harness her influence—from summit stages to social media platforms—her message to America and the world remains consistent: women must be recognized, valued, and empowered, both in public policy and in the smallest details of daily existence. The impact of the Halle Berry DealBook Summit speech reverberates in Hollywood, politics, and beyond, challenging others to reexamine how women’s agency and dignity are prioritized—or overlooked—in everyday life.
