HALLE BERRY .
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BL!NK: Halle Berry forgets dinner date, but all isn’t lost
By ANTHONY BARBOZA
Photographer Anthony Barboza recounts photographing ‘former model turned Beauty Queen’ Halle Berry before and after she became an Academy Award winning household-name. _________________________
Actress Halle Berry photographed by Anthony Barboza circa the release of her performance in the 2001 film ‘Monster’s Ball’
Date: 1991, 2001, 2005
Location: New York City
Published: Elle Magazine (and more… )
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About the photographs in Today’s Story:
Halle Berry had just finished “Jungle Fever” in 1991 when photographer Anthony Barboza shot some of the first few photographs brought to you in this month’s article (originally featured in ‘Elle Magazine.’) 
Continue reading to hear about Barboza’s photographic encounter with actress, Ms. Halle Berry, in 1991, 2001, and 2005, both before-and-after this Academy Award winning actress became a household-name.
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Story by ANTHONY BARBOZA
as told to SEAN McCARTHY
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It was 1991 and Regis Pagniez, the editor of Elle magazine, wanted me to photograph an up-and-coming actress named Halle Berry. I had worked for Elle since the late 1980s and they were familiar with my work, including a previous shoot with Laura Dern.
At the time, Berry had just appeared in the Spike Lee movie, “Jungle Fever.” There was a lot of talk about it, but this was the first time I’d heard of her.
Halle was very nice and the shoot lasted most of the day. Her style was very free and loose and she did whatever was asked of her. She was very accommodating.
Actress Halle Berry photographed by Anthony Barboza
circa the release of her performance Spike Lee’s film “Jungle Fever” 1991.
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There was one uncomfortable moment during the shoot. After she made a change of clothes, we took a picture with one of her breasts accidentally exposed. I told her that we would have to cover it up, but she didn’t seem too bothered by the situation.
But there was another interesting development that day. At the end of the shoot she caught me by surprise by saying, “We should go out for dinner.” I agreed and she gave me her agent’s number. She’s a very beautiful woman, so of course I was interested.
The next day I called her agent and said, “Halle told me to call about the two of us going to dinner.” The man replied, “Oh, she had to run to do an interview in California.
I never got my dinner.
When 2001 came along, Halle was up for an Academy Award for “Monster’s Ball.” USA Weekend asked me to shoot a cover of her. It was going to take place at a photo production studio in New York City. I got the crew together including a hair dresser, makeup artist and stylist. The clothing was quite elegant.
Right on time, Halle walked in with her agent, who turned out to be a tough little cookie. When I greeted Halle, she looked at me as if she wasn’t sure about something. I said, “You don’t remember me, do you? We did a shoot for Elle magazine.
She didn’t remember.
I spoke again. “We were supposed to have dinner 10 years ago.”
Actress Halle Berry photographed by Anthony Barboza, NYC, 2001
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She still didn’t remember, but she was very cordial. Her agent soon asked, “How long is this shoot going to take?” He had reason for concern. After all, Halle was a big star now. The agent didn’t want anybody at the shoot who didn’t have to be there. He was very protective.
The shoot lasted from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. I photographed Halle with different lightings and backgrounds. I used some flower vases and some old-time Hollywood lighting techniques. A shot of her in a pants suit eventually made the cover.
Halle was an excellent model. She was very sweet, but I was still kind of disappointed that she didn’t remember me.
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Actress Halle Berry photographed by Anthony Barboza, NYC, 2001
Actress Halle Berry photographed by Anthony Barboza, NYC, 2001
Actress Halle Berry photographed by Anthony Barboza, NYC, 2001
Selected an Image for a Larger View
Actress Halle Berry photographed by Anthony Barboza, NYC, 2001
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Soon after that she won the best actress Oscar for her role as Leticia Musgrove in “Monster’s Ball.”
A week later I was interviewed by USA Weekend about the shoot I’d done with Berry — the last before she won the award. The article pointed out that this was the second time I had photographed an actress just before she won an Academy Award. The first was with Cher in 1988, just before she won the best actress Oscar for the movie “Moonstruck.” USA Weekend called me a lucky charm.
When “Lackawanna Blues” came out in 2005, I was invited to a premiere screening in New York by some producers who had used some photographs I had taken of my parents in their film. I was sitting in the audience when Halle walked down the aisle. She noticed me, walked over and said, “Oh, hi, Tony.” I thought, “Oh, now she remembers me. I can’t believe it.” She gave me a smile.
There was a party afterwards and the place was full of stars, including Halle. She came over to talk with me again. My heart was pounding.
She remembered me.
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Actress Halle Berry photographed by Anthony Barboza, NYC, 2001
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BL!NK, A Photographer’s Experience Between Exposures
This article is the fifth installment of our monthly feature, republished here at the BL!NK online archive. Return to this site to view more articles in their re-release, now with new exclusive images and extras.
BL!NK
BL!NK, originally a printed monthly feature in South Coast Today, shares the recollections of Photographer Anthony Barboza, as told to writer Sean McCarthy, along with photos of some of his world-famous subjects from throughout his long and illustrious career.
THIS MONTH’S SUBJECT
Halle Berry had just finished “Jungle Fever” in 1991 when photographer Anthony Barboza shot some of the first few photosographs brought to you in this month’s article (originally featured in ‘Elle Magazine.’Halle Berry photographed by Anthony Barboza Continue reading to hear about Barboza’s photographic encounter with actress, Ms. Halle Berry, in 1991, 2001, and 2005, both before and after this Academy Award winning actress became a household-name.
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BL!NK 