Halle Berry Tops Ebony's Power List

Actress & Producer Says She Feels "Powerful At 40"

(CBS)  Halle Berry is a regular on magazine lists of most beautiful or sexiest women.

This time around, though, Ebony magazine is honoring her as No. 1 on this year's list of "The Ebony Power 150: The Most Influential Blacks In America."

The Oscar-winner tells the magazine she has reached a point in her life where she feels more powerful than ever.

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Photos: A Look At Halle Berry

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"... I feel really powerful at 40 because I've finally GOT IT, I have finally realized that I'm complete all by myself," she says. "I don't need a man."

2Although Berry gets paid eight-figure salaries for her film roles, she's turned her attention to working behind the camera, producing film and television projects.

Her current projects in the works include "Mixed," a TV comedy about a mixed-race woman; and "Compositions In Black And White" with Alicia Keys.

The annual Power 150 was launched in 1963 as "100+ Most Influential Black Americans."

3This year's list also includes Sen. Barack Obama, "Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes, actor-director Tyler Perry and talk show host Tyra Banks.

The May issue of Ebony will be out Monday, April 9.

[newsman72]

I, for one, wasn't knocking her. She's incredibly beautiful and talented. It's just the fact that she is bi-racial...half black/half white. So there's no point to discount either one of her heritages but apparently Ebony wants to call her "black" and omit that her mother is white. That's a slap in her mother's face.

[CITYLIFE9]

INSTEAD OF GIVING THIS GIRL CREDIT YOU KNOCK HER.

[whatithink-2009]

Funny that a decision that someone who is half black/half white should be consider black is now being blamed on black people. Just funny.

[shanev137]

It' pretty funny that her definition of being "powerful and complete" is not needing a man. Generally when people need to make a claim like that to the whole world, the opposite is usually true. More than likely, she feels incomplete and powerless without a man.

[misspp-2009]

the publication can refer to her as "black" because of the asinine and racist definitions insisted on by "whites" who came up with the "one drop" rule. so by "your rule" halle, obama, soledad, mariah, and loads of others are "black". if you don't like it, blame yourselves!

[swearingster]

You folks can't change this racist type of categorizing people in the US. It's a system too enterwoven into the fabric of the country. Progress is slow... Besides that, EBONY is multinational now and it's a media that capalizes in "racism" itself. Complain to them too???

[cryonbrian]

Read the original US constitution and you will find the answer of a black person!

[newsman72]

If race shouldn't matter, then why is Ebony publishing this thing? And yes, Halley Berry is half white so she could very well be the most influential white in America. Or how about this, call her bi-racial because she's half and half. Just like Obama. If he would be elected as president he wouldn't be the first black president. He'd be the first bi-racial president.

[raw1961]

It shouldn't matter that she is half black, half white!! She is a strong woman who is proud to claim her black heritage. People need to stop focusing on race..focus on the fact that she deserves to be honored for her achievements, and the doors she has opened for us.

[pussykatttt]

Miss Berry is half white, half black (one parent of each race), so I do not understand how this magazine can refer to her as "black". Another publication could refer to her as "white" on the same basis!