"Being thought of as 'a beautiful woman' has spared me nothing in life," says Halle Berry. With her extraordinary beauty, wealth, and an Academy Award for Best Actress, it seems as if Berry has it all. Yet her life has been anything but a fairytale. From the pain of an abusive father to the sting of racism from her peers, Berry emerged as a high achiever, beauty queen, and model. As an actor, her beauty often kept her from being considered for meaningful roles, and it took a while for her to achieve the success she deserved. In 2002, Berry's Academy Award–winning performance in the small-budget art film Monster's Ball made history, stirred controversy, and launched her into superstardom. Give your readers a powerful biography of this stellar talent.