Halle Berry apologizes for wanting to play transgender man: 'I should not have considered this role'
Actress Halle Berry is responding to criticism over a role she was previously considering, admitting that she was in the wrong for wanting to play a trans man.
The "Monster's Ball" actress issued an apology on Monday for what was said in an Instagram Live interview last week after the interviewer asked if she would ever cut her hair short again. Berry segued into a discussion regarding her upcoming opportunity to play a transgender character for a project that was recently pitched to her.
"The woman is a trans character, so she’s a woman that transitioned into a man," she previously said, adding that she was interested in the role because "I want to experience and understand and study and explore" that world.
Berry also claimed on Friday that the movie was a "female story," despite the fact the character had transitioned into a man. "I want to understand the why and how of that," she remarked.
Days later, the 53-year-old recanted her words by announcing on Twitter she did not accept the role and issued an apology.
"Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to discuss my consideration of an upcoming role as a transgender man, and I'd like to apologize for those remarks," she wrote. "As a cisgender woman, I now understand that I should not have considered this role, and that the transgender community should undeniably have the opportunity to tell their own stories."
The Oscar winner continued, "I am grateful for the guidance and critical conversation over the past few days and I will continue to listen, educate and learn from this mistake."
She vowed to be a better ally by using her platform to "promote better representation on-screen, both in front of and behind the camera."
