Halle Berry says 'Monster's Ball' sex scene could have ended her career

"People around me said, because at that time I hadn't done nudity, and the sex scene was like a big, like it had a big red light on it," she began. "I felt like this was either gonna be one of the best things I ever did or it would end my career."

Berry added, "If this ends my career, then I'm ending my own career on my own beliefs."

"When you really believe that - and I do - I can still sit here 30 years later at 60 this year, not afraid to do anything really 'cause I still feel that way," Berry said. "I have nothing to lose. Nothing. And that is a really empowering feeling that has allowed me to try many different things over my career."

"Monster's Ball" was released in 2001 and explored themes of racism, grief and redemption in the American South. Prior to appearing in the movie alongside Thornton, Berry rose to fame in the early 1990s with roles in films like "Boomerang" (1992) and "The Flintstones" (1994).

Berry's Academy Award for "Monster's Ball" made her the first Black woman to win an Academy Award for best actress.