HOLLYWOOD -- Halle Berry is monstrously happy these days.

She's scheduled to reprise her role as Storm in the sequel to the popular X-Men, and will play one of the villains in the new James Bond film, which begins filming this month. There's also that little matter of a Golden Globe nomination for her powerful and uncompromising performance opposite Billy Bob Thornton in Monster's Ball.

This racially charged film opens next month after the Golden Globe ceremonies on Jan. 20 because there is wide speculation Berry will be nominated for an Oscar and that could of even greater help in marketing the film.

"I'm trying really hard not to take myself to that whole Oscar thing," says Berry. "It's too overwhelming a thought for me to even comprehend right now. I'm still trying to cope with the Golden Globe nomination and the acknowledgement from the National Board of Review.

"I just hope these mentions for me will help people want to go and see this movie because it's a small film and often independent movies don't have too much success at the box office."

Berry points out, "the Oscars have eluded black women for so long, so it would be an incredible honour for me.

"I've never selected roles thinking as far ahead as an Oscar nomination. My goal has always been to find roles that don't call for a black woman, but that they'll let a black woman play."

Berry says she believes Hollywood has become less colour-blind this past decade but adds: "It's still a struggle for some directors to believe it's OK to cast me in everything.

"Right now, it's still about taking little steps, hoping eventually directors will realize we can be just people and that colour doesn't have to matter all the time.

"In some stories, like Monster's Ball, it does matter, but there are so many stories where it does not."


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