I think both Exodus and Captaindemotion are right. Halle Berry wasn't a box office draw before the X-films, and to be quite frankly, after the X-films. Though there have been some post-Oscar attempts by Hollywood to put her on, though I don't know if those projects were good vehicles for her. I don't even know if Monster's Ball was all that successful box office wise. But I think Exodus is correct in pointing out Halle's popularity, in large part due to African-American filmgoers whose early support helped her get the buzz that got her the X-films and perhaps many others.
As for the 'race card' stuff in the Oscar speech, I agree with CD that that wasn't the case. Now, to go further, it bothers me that any mention of race gets people, generally black people, labelled as 'racist' these days. Yet, some whites talk about reverse discrimination, and people like Glenn Beck call the President racist and Rush Limbaugh accuses Colin Powell of being racially biased when endorsed Obama, and I'm assuming many of these same white folks have no problem with those statements. Halle was pointing out a fact, it might be an uncomfortable fact, but it was the truth. And I saw no problem with that, or celebrating her breakthrough (though I question the win), because many other talented black actresses were passed over or completely ignored for decades by the Academy Awards mainly because of their skin color. All this kneejerk race card stuff attempts to reduce racial complaints to just a game, and sometimes the complaints hold little water or none at all, but in light of the twisted racial history in the US and not to mention the knotty racial relations across the globe, I think racism allegations have enough basis in historical fact not to be summarily dismissed as I feel this race card label business wishes to do.
As for the 'race card' stuff in the Oscar speech, I agree with CD that that wasn't the case. Now, to go further, it bothers me that any mention of race gets people, generally black people, labelled as 'racist' these days. Yet, some whites talk about reverse discrimination, and people like Glenn Beck call the President racist and Rush Limbaugh accuses Colin Powell of being racially biased when endorsed Obama, and I'm assuming many of these same white folks have no problem with those statements. Halle was pointing out a fact, it might be an uncomfortable fact, but it was the truth. And I saw no problem with that, or celebrating her breakthrough (though I question the win), because many other talented black actresses were passed over or completely ignored for decades by the Academy Awards mainly because of their skin color. All this kneejerk race card stuff attempts to reduce racial complaints to just a game, and sometimes the complaints hold little water or none at all, but in light of the twisted racial history in the US and not to mention the knotty racial relations across the globe, I think racism allegations have enough basis in historical fact not to be summarily dismissed as I feel this race card label business wishes to do.
