Halle Berry reveals truth behind decades-long rumour

The 58-year-old actress appeared on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast Monday to address claims that she had hooked up with a former co-star.

“We had this very explicit love scene,” said Berry, opening up about her role opposite Billy Bob Thornton in 2001’s Monster’s Ball.

Her performance led to her being the first black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress.

In “Monster’s Ball,” Berry plays grieving widow Leticia Musgrove, who strikes up a romance with corrections officer Hank Grotowski (Thornton). Unbeknownst to them, Hank assisted in executing the man Leticia was married to.

Leticia and Hank connect over their traumas. They go out to dinner and then get drunk at Leticia’s house, which leads to them having sex. The raunchy scene is one of the most memorable parts of the film.

On the podcast, Berry revealed that the intensity of the sex scene led to her and Thornton’s to be romantically linked in real life.

“You can’t just be a good actor, and you can’t just make that s**t look real,” Berry said.

The actress also pointed out that Thornton, 69, was married to Angelina Jolie at the time.

“He had a wife, so, you know, all respect,” Berry said. “I know Angie and she ain’t signing off on that s – t. I’m a girls girl. I’ll do a lot of things, but I’m not gonna sleep with your man.”

Thornton has also spoken out about the rumour that he and Berry did it.

“No, we’re actors. We do the job that we’re required to do, and we were both very professional about it,” he said on Sway in the Morning in 2012, when asked to “dispel the myth” about himself and Berry’s sex scene being real.

It comes after Berry dropped an X-rated comment on morning television, leaving host Gayle King laughing hysterically.

The Hollywood star made an appearance on US breakfast show CBS Mornings to promote her new horror movie, Never Let Go, last month when the topic of discussion turned to relationships, ageing and menopause.

“I love that you’re talking about menopause because most people think menopause is dry vaginas, and you’re all done,” King praised Berry, who has been happily dating singer and producer Van Hunt since 2020.

The 58-year-old cheekily responded with, “It did mean that for a minute. Now I’m juicy like the peach!” before they both burst into laughter.