Halle Berry Interview

Although Berry admits her character is a cartoon-type role, she says by the end of filming she had begun to envy her character's magical powers."I'd like to be able to use Storm's powers for good, like have it rain more in Southern California. We could do with it," she says.

The film also stars two British actors, Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen. Stewart is Professor X, a mutant whose mental powers can span the material and spiritual world. McKellen plays his evil nemesis Magneto. Apart from Berry, the other female mutants are played by Oscar-winner Anna Paquin as Rogue, Famke Janssen as Jean Grey and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as the blue-skinned Mystique. Already the film has proved a major hit at the American box office and a sequel looks likely, and although Berry says she wouldn't object to reprising her role she would insist on a few changes."I'd like Storm to have a love life because she leads a boring existence," she says firmly."I also hope that next time we can explore the fact she's the nurturer of the group. To me she's the quintessential earth mother."

Although Berry is happy to take on big budget blockbusters like X-Men, her real home is on the set of low budget intimate dramas such as Bulworth or last year's Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, a film about a 1950s black film star for which she won a Golden Globe and Screen Actor's Guild award. "What Dorothy went through made it possible for me to be here," she admits." She pioneered the way for black female movie stars."I realise I may not break through, but I have to do my part just like Dorothy did. "Getting the Dorothy Dandrige film made was a long personal crusade for Berry, because she identified so much with the story. But while Dandridge died of a drugs overdose in 1965, Berry is now one of Hollywood's golden girls."Dorothy wanted to be treated like her white counterparts and she suffered for it. I realise I can't do that. It's like comparing the choices I make in my career to the choices Meg Ryan has. We're very different."

Away from the cameras, Berry has been taking time to get over the traumas of the last few years and is busy spending time with her blues singer boyfriend Eric Benet. Although the couple are rumoured to be considering marriage, Berry insists she's being careful about media exposure of her private life following the collapse of her first marriage."I'm going to be quiet from now on about my love life, You have to protect yourself." In fact Berry is content to shy away from the public side of celebrity in favour of a more 'normal' existence, in particularly hanging out on the beach."I take my dogs and skate. If I have a friend along we'll hang out on the beach. I like to go there to find peace and unwind."