When Movie Promos Turn Ugly: Halle Berry Accuses DJ Of Racism
"Are we having a racist moment here?" Those are the words that brought a BBC radio interview to a screeching halt yesterday by Halle Berry, there to promote X-Men: The Last Stand with her co-star, Hugh Jackman. By way of flashback, let's piece back together what led up to it, with the help of the AP:
The exchange began when Hugh Jackman, Berry's X-Men: The Last Stand co-star, jokingly suggested that Moyles might take the role of his body double if he ever landed the part of James Bond.
"I could definitely do that," Moyles said before adding, "Put your hands in the air!"
A somewhat puzzled Jackman replied, "Are you some kind of Brooklyn Bond?"
Moyles replied: "I'm a black American guy. A big, fat, black guy. Put your hands up in the air."
The interview continued, though the DJ later said Berry was "ratty" — British slang for grouchy.
We think we see where she may have been coming from, though the radio host claims this was not an issue of racism, but of his limited ability with comedic foreign accents. It's hard to explain that to someone you've inadvertently offended, however, and once the damage was done, there's was no turning back. Even the DJ's heartfelt apology, "I never meant to offend you, skinny black actress without a gun," did nothing to alleviate Berry's unwaveringly ratty mood.
