Halle Berry Advises Women Not to Get “Bogged Down by the Idea That You Have to Have Children by a Certain Age”

Halle Berry is sending out advice to all women reaching the age of 30.

Following her appearance at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, the actress discussed the advice that is currently shaping her life and that she aspires to impart to other women.

“I’m solidly in my womanhood. I finally realize what I have to say is valuable, even if no one else agrees,” Berry said. “Here’s what I tell women: Own wherever you are. If you’re in your mid-thirties, don’t be bogged down by the idea that you have have children by a certain age. You decide. And if you want to have children, you don’t have to be defined by those old ideologies that this is what women ‘have’ to do.”

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She added, “Do it only if you want to because you give up a lot of your personal life to growing those other lives. And maybe you’re not a woman who wants to do that. No harm, no foul, no judgment.”

In March 2008, the actress welcomed her first child, Nahla Ariela Aubry, with her former partner Gabriel Aubry. Subsequently, five years later, Berry’s son Maceo-Robert Martinez was born, whom she shares with her ex-husband Olivier Martinez. Upon receiving the People’s Icon award at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards, Berry expressed her gratitude to her children while sharing some wisdom with them.

“My two little kids, they have to lose so much time with their mommy because I get to go work and do what I love, so thank you, Nahla, thank you, Maceo — I hope you find something in life that you can love and you can do with as much vigor and as much zest as I do what I do. I love you guys,” she said.