One of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood turns 57 years old today! To celebrate the legacy and beauty of Halle Berry, check out a gallery of some of her most breathtaking photos over the years.

Halle Berry was born in Cleveland, Ohio. After her parents divorced when she was four years old, she was raised exclusively by her mother. In high school, Halle was a cheerleader, honor student, editor of the school newspaper, and prom queen. After graduating high school, she attended Cuyahoga Community College. Around the same time, she began entering several beauty contests. She went on to win Miss Teen All American in 1985 and Miss Ohio USA in 1986. Later that year, she was the first runner-up in the Miss USA beauty pageant. She made history as the first African American Miss World entrant in history, where she finished sixth. Ironically enough, during the interview portion of the Miss USA pageant, Halle spoke on hoping to become an entertainer. It didn’t take long for that to become a reality.

In 1989, Halle moved to New York City to pursue her an acting career. After some struggles early on, she was cast in the role of model Emily Franklin in the short-lived ABC television series Living Dolls, which was a spin-off of the hit series Who’s the Boss?. Halle moved to Los Angeles after the show was cancelled. Berry made her film debut in a small role for Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever in 1991. That same year, she got her first co-starring role in the comedy Strictly Business. She continued to rise over the next 8 years, starring in a plethora of movies including Boomerang, The Flintstones, Losing Isaiah, B.A.P.S and Why Do Fools Fall In Love? just to name a few. Although her name had become pretty well known to that point, she solidified it with her performance in 1999’s Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. She played the title character, who was the first African American woman to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her work was recognized in the form of her winning a Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award.

Since that time, Halle Berry has gone on to become one of the most successful and highest paid actresses in the world due to the success of the movies she’s appeared in (including the X-Men series, Monster’s Ball, Die Another Day, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum). In something out of movie itself, she became the first woman to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards in 2002. She has cemented her legacy but continues to push the boundaries of what’s the norm for Black women in the industry. Berry made her directorial debut in 2020 with the feature Bruised, where she plays a disgraced MMA fighter named Jackie Justice, who reconnects with her estranged son. Earlier this year, she signed a deal with Range Media Partners as a producer and director. It doesn’t seem like Halle is slowing down anytime soon. As she continues to put in work, she also continues to age like fine wine. To celebrate her life, legacy and undeniable beauty, check out a gallery of some of our favorite photos of her over the years. HAPPY 57TH BIRTHDAY TO HALLE BERRY!!!