Halle Berry Says She’s Her “Best Self” at 56: "I Have Zero Blanks to Give Anymore"

Never one to be shy about aging, Halle Berry opened up once again about embracing anything that comes her way — in terms of changes in her body and her confidence, that is. In a new interview, the Oscar-winning actress (who is set to turn 57 next week) shared that she's never felt better in her skin, saying that she's "solidly" in her womanhood and understanding (finally) that what she has to say has worth and weight.

“I'm my best self now that I reached 56 years old,” Berry told Women’s Health. “I have the most to offer. I have zero blanks to give anymore. I'm solidly in my womanhood. I finally realize what I have to say is valuable, even if no one else agrees.”

She went on to say that being frank and honest about "taboo" issues will make them less scary and offer up chances for women to speak about things that should be out in the open.

“We can make talking about women’s health issues less taboo by daring to talk about it,” she added. “If you start the conversation, most women will follow. Do you know why? Because it's something that we're dying to do. It's something that we've been deprived of, and it's something that we want to share with one another. We just need the permission to do it.”

That sharing was why she started Re-Spin, a digital health and wellness community that debuted in 2020.

"Community is the entrée into understanding. We're all going through it,” she noted.

Berry also spoke about her experience with menopause and making an effort to be honest about that, too. She's ready to be "challenging all those stereotypes about how you have to look a certain way or feel a certain way," explaining that she's "smack-dab in the middle of menopause."

“I am challenging everything I thought I knew about menopause. Things like: ‘Your life is over.’ ‘You are disposable.’ ‘Society no longer has a place for you.’ ‘You should retire.’ ‘You should pack it up,’" she said. "The most important thing about owning your sexuality as a woman is accepting the station you're at — and embracing that. Own wherever you are. That's where I'm at."