Academy Award-winning actress, director, and entrepreneur Halle Berry took the stage at the Create & Cultivate Festival in Downtown Los Angeles to champion women's health advocacy and self-empowerment. Speaking to an audience of over 4,000 attendees, the Hollywood icon delivered an engaging keynote focused on navigating women's wellness, demystifying menopause, and cultivating personal confidence with age.
Berry emphasized that getting older should be embraced as a period of heightened self-assurance rather than viewed through a negative lens. She encouraged women to advocate for accurate health information and demand science-backed wellness solutions. Her discussion connected directly to her work as the founder of re-spin, a digital platform and brand dedicated to holistic health, fitness, and accessible wellness resources for women at every stage of life.
While attending the event, Berry also spoke warmly about her close personal connection with actress Zendaya. Berry shared that the two stars maintain regular contact and expressed her eager desire to collaborate on a future film project together, reiterating her long-standing wish to play Zendaya's mother onscreen. The affection follows Zendaya's recent tribute at the 2026 Emmy Awards, where she walked the red carpet in a retro Prada look and pixie cut directly inspired by Berry's iconic early-2000s style.
As the first African American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Monster's Ball, Berry has maintained a landmark career spanning over three decades. Her filmography includes major studio blockbusters such as the X-Men franchise and James Bond feature Die Another Day, alongside critically acclaimed indie projects. She expanded her career behind the camera with her 2020 directorial debut, Bruised, in which she also starred as a mixed martial arts fighter.
Berry's dual focus on entertainment and healthcare entrepreneurship reflects her ongoing commitment to leveraging her platform for social impact. She continues to advocate for federal legislation supporting menopause education and research while developing new film and television projects through her production company.
