Halle Berry talks about her 'solid maternal instincts'

As she’s said before, playing a mother in Things We Lost in the Fire was a powerful experience for Halle Berry, 41.  Currently expecting her first child with boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, Halle says "it was a joy" to be ‘mom’ to her on-screen kids Micah Berry and Alexis Llewellyn — and not only during the warm and fuzzy moments.  During one scene, when Halle’s recently-widowed character is depicted grieving at the kitchen table, Micah laughed at an inopportune time.  Says Halle,

I was getting frustrated, but [director] Susanne [Bier] made me realize that mothers can sometimes get fed up with their kids. And I impulsively just grabbed his face because he wouldn’t stop messing up the scene.  Moments like that made me feel like a mother, because that’s what a mother would do. She’d stop the nonsense and not feel guilty about it!

Halle adds,

I realized I had solid maternal instincts and I felt a real connection.

Halle and Gabriel’s baby is due in March.

Source:  Birmingham Post

Comments

Oh please. So, the kid was pissing her off and she grabbed his face? That’s enough to make her a good mom? I’m not saying that she won’t have “maternal instincts” or that she won’t make a wonderful mother, but that anecdote is just too silly and has nothing to do with anything. But if she gets comfort from that, who am I to snort?

- Carole on January 24th, 2008

honest reaction IMO…I have done that to my son before to get him to pay attention to me. Not in any way hurtful, just to say, “Hey…pay attention”. I think Halle will be an excellent mother.

- tink1217 on January 24th, 2008

i dont like the grabbing of the face thing, had i been that boys mom, i would have been mad!

- monika on January 24th, 2008

Totally agree Carole & Monika- I actually thinks its really strange!

- iluvallbabies on January 24th, 2008

I’m so glad that everyone who comments on this site is a perfect mother. I have got to stop reading the comments on this site they are getting far too ridiculous. Obviously she wasn’t hurting the child.

- Dara on January 24th, 2008

Dara, actually Im not even a mother yet, so there is no way I could pretend to be!!
Its purely about expressing our opinions – its not right or wrong, and I love visiting CBB for that reason- and I always comment respectfully.

Im a big fan of Halle, but I still think it a bit strange to grab a child (that isnt yours) on the face!

- iluvallbabies on January 24th, 2008

dara, i am far from a perfect mother, but even when i am tired and fed up i do not put my hands on my child and i certainly wouldnt be putting then on anyone elses child. i could go on and on, but i dont want to upset anyone. its just nothow we do things in our family

- monika on January 24th, 2008

Dara, I agree. There is a difference between stating a opinion and just being plain rude. Some are just rude and mean. Some of these comments are just mean and it makes me wonder how they can judge someone over an interview.

- Renee on January 24th, 2008

Dara, they’re comments are referring to the fact that it was someone elses kid that she grabbed. No one is saying they are a perfect mother, or they’ve never done that to their own children. I wouldn’t be ok with another woman grabbing my son’s face because he was goofing off. That doesn’t mean I think I’m a perfect mother. Of course, reading it and seeing it happen are two different things, I doubt she was that aggressive with him

- Sadie on January 24th, 2008

Am I missing something?- I cant see any rude comments here?! Could someone please point them out to me, as I never intend to be disrepectful or rude to anyone.

Thanks

- iluvallbabies on January 24th, 2008

We weren’t there. We don’t know how she grabbed him. She could of gently cupped his chin in her hand and politely said to stop. I don’t think she’d grab him hard, squeeze his face, get angry and yell! The children usually have their parents or a child wrangler on set with them. So I am sure if Halle did anything offensive then something would of been said. I am sure the quote is being taken to a whole new level.

- J.M. on January 24th, 2008

Perhaps in all fairness I should say that it wasn’t really the comments in this post that prompted my response. It just seems like every single solitary post I read lately is sooo judgmental. His hair’s too long, he shouldn’t have that pacifier, she should be walking, where’s the baby’s coat etc. etc. etc. I just think as a whole women need to be a little less judgmental. We need support!!! And of course I would never advocate rough housing with another’s child. The first post just seemed so harsh it set me off. iluvallbabies there was nothing rude about your posts.

- Dara on January 24th, 2008

Um, if some woman grabbed my kid’s face, for any reason, I’d be showing her some of my maternal instincts.

- Ashley on January 24th, 2008

Amen to J.M.
Perhaps Halle was just kidding around and gently or playfully grab the child’s face to get his attention.

- gABBY on January 24th, 2008

Oh ok Dara, totally agree with some other posts Ive read!! Thanks for clearing that up, I honestly didnt mean to offend or be judgemental

- iluvallbabies on January 24th, 2008

I was talking about Carole. I thought her comment was rude especially since we don’t know the whole story or see any proof of what Halle did.

- Renee on January 24th, 2008

Oh, and I also meant to say (before I went off on a tangent) that as someone who has talked about experiencing physical abuse I think Halle would probably be careful to be gentle with a child. I just felt kind of bad that everyone assumed that she would be hurtful. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion I just wish we didn’t always have to assume the worst. But I guess that’s the world we live in:)

- Dara on January 24th, 2008

according to his imdb profile, micah is 9 (and has the same birthday as me LOL). anyone notice the irony of this kid having the same last name as her?

- ang on January 24th, 2008

I don’t get some of these Halle Berry comments. Some of them sound like she is trying to prove to people that she will be a good mother. I’m sure she will.

- Jen on January 24th, 2008

Also, folks, keep in mind that we only got snippets or pieces of her interview. Therefore, this is subject to being taken out of context. Relax a bit, please.

- Janelle on January 25th, 2008

“It just seems like every single solitary post I read lately is sooo judgmental. His hair’s too long, he shouldn’t have that pacifier, she should be walking, where’s the baby’s coat etc. etc. etc. I just think as a whole women need to be a little less judgmental. We need support!!!”

Dara, I agree with this 100%. I don’t understand how people can make such judgmental statements based on a photograph or two, or a partial statement that is only part of the whole story or quote. Your last two sentences sum it up perfectly!

Look at CBB publisher Danielle’s recent experience with the Washington Times! They took two lines out of her hour long interview and that’s all they published. Taken out of context, of course it’s going to draw strong reactions from some people. Look at the interview as a whole, can you really say the same thing? NO. Who are we to judge those pictures and quotes where we only get one side of the story, especially when controversy (or what the media can sell as controversial) makes the headlines?

I’ve become so fed up and sickened with what has been spread in the media about Heath Ledger’s untimely passing this week. All of the headlines of him being “drawn to excess”, or doing drugs, or being depressed and contemplating suicide. What a waste that a wonderful young actor and doting dad will likely be remembered as some druggie or someone who carelessly threw his life away when there is no proof of that. The media is so quick to throw a label on his death to sell their story that by the time the toxicology results come back, what they show will likely not matter. What an absolute disgrace to his memory and the family he left behind, especially his daughter. The statements made by his mom, dad and sister today broke my heart. (Please note that this last paragraph is not aimed at CBB in any way, the way they handled his passing was one of absolute respect, and I would expect nothing less of Danielle, Sarah and Co.) /rant and tangent

- ally on January 25th, 2008

I agree with Janelle. These are little snippets from an interview and unfortunately these little snippets seem to provoke very strong opinions, which isn’t a bad thing, but it’s like people want a reason to jump down a celebrity’s throat. Whatever Halle meant by her comment, I’m going to assume she didn’t mean any harm to anyone’s kid. And sometimes you do have to grab kid to get his or her’s attention. Some people opt to take other measures. Either way…I’m sure Halle will be a great mother and I wish her all the best.

- Jay on January 25th, 2008

Yknow what Carole, I agree with you. You didn’t comment on if she hurt the kid or not, you commented on why she had to tell us all about how she felt like a mother for getting a child’s attention. If people can’t handle that then I’m sorry, but it’s no reason to be called rude. I think some of her comments are a little odd, like she needs to prove that she will be a good mom, as I stated above, and I’m sure she will.

We read that snippet just fine, the media posts what they think will get a reaction, people gave it and others are called rude for it. How about calling out the media for picking and choosing what they publish to get attention?

- Jen on January 25th, 2008

She didn’t say grabbing his face makes her a good mother. It made her FEEL like a mother, which I can understand. My mom did that to me when I would misbehave.

- Lyn on January 25th, 2008

I agree with Jen that she seems like she’s trying to prove her mothering instincts/skills to everyone, which I don’t think anyone but she herself was questioning. What I don’t get is why she feels so self conscious about being a mother. The way she talks about her experiences playing a mom in that last movie, one would never guess that she was the stepmother to a young girl for four or five years. From what I gather, India Benet would have been in the 6-11 age range during Halle’s relationship with her father. So I would think she would’ve already had enough experience to give her confidence in her child caretaking. I mean, I know she doesn’t have any contact with India now, but it seemed like they had a good relationship while she was married to the girl’s father.

I don’t know. Seems odd, very curious. All the same, I wish her the best. I wouldn’t think she could do any worse than some of the mothers of Hollywood’s current young pAArtying stars. I’m sure she’ll be fine.

- LL on January 26th, 2008