Wednesday, April 2, 1997
FILM:
Actress’ acting ability is put to test with change of genreBy
Trinh Bui
Daily Bruin Contributor
It’s not that easy to become someone else, even for a successful
actress. But when "someone else" is an outrageous
fish-out-of-water, and the actress playing her is the glamorous
Halle Berry, anything is possible. Considered one of the most
beautiful women on screen today, she needed extra props to adapt to
her new character, Georgia hillbilly Nisi, in the upcoming comedy
"BAPS."
"I couldn’t be Nisi until I got it all together. I needed the
teeth, the hair, the nails, the tight clothes. I needed the whole
outfit to feel like her. Once I had all that on I felt so much not
like myself that it was easier for me to play the role," says
Berry.
Unlike her recent films, "BAPS" is light in subject and
slap-stick funny, lacking action and high suspense. Berry trades in
the heavy drama and stunt sequences for prat falls and punch-lines.
In this picture, she sees the opportunity to graze in new acting
pastures.
"This movie is a real attempt to stretch and grow as an actor
and take advantage of what is out there. For me this was a chance
for me to jump head first into something new," says Berry.
Even though Berry played a multitude of different roles in the
past, she never had the chance to perform in an all-out comedy
until now. Taken out of the world of action and adventure and
dropped into an entirely new genre, Berry had to find a way to
compete with the rest of the comedians on the slap-stick circuit.
"BAPS" director Robert Townsend suggested his costar’s preparation
for the film include studying the work of Lucille Ball and other
classic television icons.
"With Halle I had her watch the ‘I Love Lucy Show.’ She watched
all these ‘Lucy’ episodes to study Lucy’s physical ability and how
she does comedy," says Townsend. "Halle’s performance in the movie
was brilliant. She pushed the limit in the film and did a lot of
funny stuff in the movie."
Although Berry successfully pulled off a comedic role and added
another type of role to her growing resume, it was difficult for
her to persuade "BAPS" filmmakers to let her take on the part of
Nisi. Unfortunately for Berry there were some people in the
industry who believed that she lacked the acting ability, a
criticism that she has been fighting since she first entered the
acting arena.
"It was hard enough for me to get people to believe that I was
even an actress. So to get people to believe that I can do this
kind of character took a little time," says Berry.
Luckily for Berry, years of working on serious films and
training has paid off. Berry’s career is blossoming, even though
she believes that acting is a medium that cannot be taught.
"I don’t think anyone can be taught to do acting, comedy or
singing. I think you naturally have those talents or you don’t. You
can be taught to hone those gifts and make things better," says
Berry.
Now that her natural talents have made her a star, Berry wants
to use her fame for a good cause, and she tries to continually set
a good example for the African American community.
Especially now, with recent NAACP accusations that some
black-oriented television shows are making a mockery of black
culture, films like "BAPS" will be scrutinized closely for material
that ends up appearing more derogatory than satirical.
"That was one of my biggest concerns because I know that I am a
role model and take that responsibility very seriously, especially
in the black community," says Berry. "So initially, when I was
going to have blond hair and gold teeth, I wanted to be sure that
we weren’t making fun of these women but celebrating these women. I
was concerned about going to the edge but not over the edge."
Politics aside, Berry’s performance in "BAPS" offers her fans a
peek at her multifaceted acting abilities. As for doing any more
comedies in the future, Berry will wait and see the public’s
reaction to "BAPS" and her try at comedic material.
"It’s up to my fans and the public to decide if I am funny or
not. If I am not funny then you won’t be seeing me doing more
comedies anytime soon."
New Line Cinema
Halle Berry stars as Nisi in the upcoming comedy "BAPS."