Halle Berry Shows off ‘Bruised’ Look in New MMA Film

Halle Berry is returning to the big screen very soon, and this time she’s not only starring in a new film, but she’s also making her directorial debut. Bruised will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and Berry plays Jackie “Justice,” a disgraced MMA fighter who is trying to rejuvenate her career when she reunites with her 6-year-old son. Berry posted a photo of her from the movie, and she has a black eye.

Berry did a ton of training for the role. She was training so hard she suffered a minor injury during filming. According to Deadline, the injury occurred during a fight scene back in November. Filming was taking place at Mack’s Elite Heat Boxing Gym in Newark, New Jersey, and the injury caused a slight delay in shooting. The crew wrapped shooting in December and the release date of the Bruised for the Toronto International Film Festival will be announced next month.

“It’s OFFICIAL,” Berry wrote in an Instagram post. “The #TIFF2020 lineup has arrived, and I’m so proud of the incredible cast and crew that got us here. Here’s an exclusive sneak-peek of Bruised, my directorial debut.⁣⁣” While filming, Berry posted different photos on Instagram, revealing behind the scenes looks at her training for the film. In one post, Berry wrote: “Happy #FitnessFriday, everyone! There’s no better feeling than setting a goal and smashing it. One of my goals for #BruisedTheMovie? Ripped Abs – and today? I finally got them, and it feels unbelievable!”

While Berry got in great shape for the film, it was not a tough transition since she was coming off the film John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum where she played an ex-assassin. Berry also suffered injuries while filming that movie. At the time, she told Extra, “I broke three ribs when I was rehearsing for John Wick… It’s like a badge of honor for me, we don’t know how it happened… I worked for a little while with broken ribs until I could no longer do it.”

Berry, 53, became a household name in 2001 when she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Monster’s Ball, making her the only woman of color to win the award. She has gone to star in notable films such as Die Another Day, The Call and various X-MEN movies.