Halle Berry’s directorial debut “Bruised,” an MMA drama that is screening as a work-in-progress at the Toronto Film Festival, is looking to sell for close to $20 million to Netflix.
Berry also stars in the tale of a washed-up MMA fighter struggling for redemption as both an athlete and a mother. Michelle Rosenfarb penned the script for the film which made it through production in spite of Berry breaking two ribs in the midst of filming.
The deal talk follows hot on the heels of an interview with Variety in which she reflected back on some of her past choices. One such choice was 2004’s widely panned “Catwoman” adaptation which Berry says she was aware the film was problematic whilst they were shooting it:
“The story didn’t feel quite right. I remember having that argument: ‘Why can’t Catwoman save the world like Batman and Superman do? Why is she just saving women from a face cream that cracks their face off?’. But I was just the actor for hire. I wasn’t the director. I had very little say over that.”
Berry also discussed her working relationship with filmmaker Bryan Singer for whom she worked on numerous “X-Men” features. Even before all the allegations against Singer in the wake of the #MeToo movement, he was reportedly known for unreliable behavior during film productions which had consequences in recent years such as his firing from “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Berry’s sometimes vocal disagreements with him had also become stuff of industry legend. She explains:
“Bryan’s not the easiest dude to work with. I mean, everybody’s heard the stories – I don’t have to repeat them – and heard of his challenges, and what he struggles with. I would sometimes be very angry with him. I got into a few fights with him, said a few cuss words out of sheer frustration. When I work, I’m serious about that. And when that gets compromised, I get a little nutty. But at the same time, I have a lot of compassion for people who are struggling with whatever they’re struggling with, and Bryan struggles. Sometimes, because of whatever he’s struggling with, he just didn’t always feel present. He didn’t feel there.”
Sadly Berry remains the only Black woman to win a Best Actress trophy at the Oscars, though five other Black women have been nominated since that time.