"There’s a model that I live by and that is, ‘you can’t teach heart." These are the words that Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry spoke to a group of students and members of the Atlantic City Xclusive Drill Team on set of her new upcoming movie “Bruised.”
The movie, which is currently in production, is a story of redemption, and the first of which Berry will direct herself. She’ll also play the leading role as a fighter and mother who must overcome a reputation as a disgraced MMA fighter and earn her way back to the top while trying to reunite with her young son.
The movie has many parallels to the struggle and fight Halle has had to endure in her personal journey as a woman of color trying to make it out of a rough neighborhood and through the trying landscape of Hollywood.
The YTCH mantra has really resonated with her and she now looks to empower and inspire those she can, adding, “You’ve gotta have heart, the desire, the will to achieve. And you can do anything you wanna do. I mean, I couldn’t imagine that I would be directing my own film about something that I love so much. As a black woman, I never thought in my lifetime I’d see black women directing something.”
In fact, the film itself almost didn’t come to fruition as it hit speed bumps from the start. Halle had to convince writers, producers, and financiers to adapt the screenplay, which was originally written for a young, white, 20-something female to herself.
After a two year process and 8 months of intense martial arts practice and training, Halle is extremely close to making a “dream come true,” as filming has already begun in Newark, New Jersey.
(Halle Berry pictured in a custom "Bruised" ProComp cut rashguard)
The city and its inhabitants have had a rough past and Berry is using the opportunity to bring not only commerce to the city but her inspiring attitude, which she aims to spread to those around her.
“You can do anything you want to do…I say that to all of you — whatever dream you’re dreaming, even if you think it’s not possible, it is possible,” she explained emotionally to the group of students ranging from elementary school to college.
And we couldn’t agree more.
You can’t teach heart.
