Halle Berry confronts Bryan Singer through her latest performance in the new thriller Crime 101, released this year. The Oscar-winning actress portrays Sharon, an insurance broker who encounters gender and age discrimination at her workplace. Set against this backdrop, Berry’s character pushes back after being denied a promotion, joining forces with a jewel thief to seek justice and recompense.
Sharing the screen with Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, Berry embodies Sharon, whose plight closely mirrors the real challenges the actress has faced. Berry has long spoken openly about ageism, sexism, and racism within Hollywood, which made this part especially meaningful for her.
Drawing from Her Own Experiences to Shape Sharon
In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly alongside her co-stars, Berry revealed that her personal history fighting workplace bias deeply influenced her attraction to this role.
“I thought, wow, I have an opportunity here to put in film something that I’m wildly passionate about personally,”
Berry shared.
And that’s not always the case when you take on a character. Sometimes they’re so far from you. It’s nice to get into a new skin and experience something different, but this was so me.
Playing a part so close to her own reality brought both inspiration and difficulty.
My struggle with this character was because it was so me, how do I make it feel like a character and not feel like it was Halle up there just having her say, right?
Berry said with a laugh.
Merrick Morton
But then I realized along the way it was okay to have it be a little bit me, a little bit Sharon, because my say feels really important in the world for women right now. And so I just leaned into that, and [director] Bart [Layton] let me lean into that and let that part of me shine through.
Powerful On-Screen Confrontation Echoes Real-Life Stand
One of the film’s most impactful scenes captures Sharon exploding at her sexist boss, voicing her frustration and cautioning a younger female colleague about workplace manipulation. Berry connected deeply with this moment, which reminded her of a real event during her X-Men career.
When asked if she ever stood up for herself in a similar manner, Berry responded emphatically,
Oh, yes. Oh, yeah. Oh, yes. A really famous one, when I got to tell Bryan Singer just where to go and how to get there on the set of X-Men one day.
The incident on the set of X-2 in 2003 involved Berry confronting director Bryan Singer over his alleged misconduct. This episode has been reported widely, with input from other actors like Alan Cumming, who described the confrontation in his memoir. Berry portrayed the mutant Storm in four X-Men films, three of which Singer directed.
Everybody was mad, but they all said to me, ‘Halle, you go tell ’em,’ because they knew I would,
Berry recalled.
And it’s one of the greatest days on a set, telling someone who was wronging the entire crew, the entire cast, exactly where to go. And then I got on a plane and flew home with my X-Men suit on.
Cast Reflections and Responses to the Incident
During the interview, Mark Ruffalo chimed in with laughter, noting, That’s the best story, you have great stories. Berry responded,
I’m sorry, that guy deserved it,
underscoring the strength of her stand.
Cumming’s memoir, Baggage: Tales From a Fully Packed Life, recounts Berry telling Singer he could kiss my Black ass after the director lashed out at the cast following their confrontation.
A representative for Singer, who has faced multiple accusations of sexual misconduct that he denies, told The Hollywood Reporter, Nothing like that ever happened.
Crime 101 Now Screening in Theaters
Crime 101 offers a poignant exploration of workplace discrimination, elevated by Berry’s personal connection and gripping performance. The film invites audiences to witness the resilience and empowerment of a woman fighting systemic bias. For Berry, it represents a triumph in channeling personal challenges into her craft, while continuing to speak out on issues affecting women in and beyond Hollywood.
With ongoing conversations about power dynamics in the entertainment industry, Berry’s story and her on-screen role underscore the importance of standing up against injustice. Crime 101 is currently playing in theaters nationwide.
Reported by Jorie McDonald.
