Halle Berry refuses to be age-shamed, says she feels ‘more valuable than ever’

Hollywood star Halle Berry is pushing back firmly against age-shaming, declaring that she refuses to feel embarrassed about growing older and believes she is “more valuable now than ever” as she approaches her 60th birthday this August.

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Challenging Hollywood’s age bias

Speaking candidly about the pressures faced by women in the film industry, Berry said society often treats ageing as a flaw, particularly for female actors, a notion she strongly rejects.

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Halle Berry on ageing: “Society has the problem, not me”

“Why do we have to be ashamed of the most natural thing that happens to all of us?” she told The Times. “I’m not having the problem — society has the problem. They want to put me in a box that says you’re a certain age and therefore less valuable. I refuse to accept that.”

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“Wiser, stronger, better” with time

The Oscar-winning actress emphasised that age has brought clarity, confidence and strength. “I know I’m more valuable now than ever. I’m wiser, smarter, stronger and better,” she said, calling ageing a privilege that has been unfairly stigmatised, especially for women.

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Berry also pointed out the double standards in how ageing is discussed in the industry. “If men’s ages were talked about the same way, it would be fair game — but they aren’t,” she said, adding that male actors’ ages rarely define their identity, while women’s often precede their names.

Struggling with appearance-based praise

Despite her success, Berry admitted she still finds it difficult to accept compliments that focus solely on her looks. “I’ve worked really hard as an actor, and still being reduced to a pretty face is tough,” she said, noting that while she smiles and says thank you, it can feel diminishing.

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Love, life and moving forward

The comments come at a time when Berry has found stability in her personal life as well. She has been in a relationship with musician Van Hunt for over five years. Hunt recently revealed that Berry had turned down a marriage proposal, choosing instead to define happiness on her own terms.

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