Spoiler alert: This story contains details about the new movie Crime 101.
In Crime 101, Halle Berry plays an insurance agent for the rich and powerful. In one of the film’s most heartbreaking scenes, her character is humiliated for being 53 by her ageist and misogynistic boss (Paul Adelstein).
“I know that heartbreak,” Berry told me Tuesday night at the premiere of “Crime 101” in downtown Los Angeles. “I know how marginalized women feel when they get around these numbers, so I think all the women who have been there and have felt that way felt the same way.”
The Oscar winner went on to say, “That’s wrong and I think as women we have to take back the narrative. We’re not done at 50, 60 or even 70. We have so much more to offer. I’m turning 60 this year, but I’m just starting my second groove, and I’m not done.”
Her age was not initially mentioned in this scene. Berry asked director and co-writer Bart Layton to rewrite it to be more powerful and harmful. “She said, ‘I want you to give me something that I don’t think will come,'” Leighton said.
Berry’s character ends up getting her opinion when she returns to the office to quit. When his boss tried to say something to a young female employee while he was admonishing her, she told him to “shut up.”
“I mentioned that to some of my bosses,” Berry said. “(It’s) great because it means I stand up for myself as a woman and it means I’m empowered. Every time I had to do it, it felt really good.”
Based on Don Winslow’s novel of the same name, “Crime 101” stars Chris Hemsworth as a jewel thief who attempts to complete his biggest heist before calling it quits. Mark Ruffalo and Corey Hawkins play the detectives in pursuit, Barry Keoghan plays a competitive thief, and Nick Nolte plays a crime boss. Monica Barbaro plays Hemsworth’s girlfriend.
Meanwhile, Berry denied rumors that he would reprise his role as Storm from the X-Men in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday.
“The storm isn’t there,” Berry said. “I promise. You all think I’m being shy and stupid, but I’m not.”
She recently told ScreenRant that she would consider a Marvel reunion someday.
“Crime 101” will be released on February 13th.
