Thursday, 15 March 2007

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Halle Berry was homeless

Actress says the experience made her stronger

Halle Berry lived in a homeless shelter when she first left home.

The Oscar-winning actress has revealed her mum refused to support her when she was skint - so she couldn't pay her rent.

'A girl had to do what a girl had to do,' Halle, 40, told Reader's Digest magazine. 'You can do that when you're 21 and ambitious and your eyes are this big and you don't want to go home.

'When I moved to Chicago, she [her English mother Judith Hawkins] drove me there, but I don't think she ever thought it would pan out. After a month or two, I ran out of money and called her.

'I said, "Mom, I hate to ask you this, but could you send me some money? I just have rent money, I can't eat this week."

'And she said no. She said, "I'm not going to start this calling home asking mom for money. No, figure it out or come home." I was so mad. I didn't speak to her for a year-and-a-half.'

Now mother and daughter have made up and there are no hard feelings.

'I'm actually grateful she did that,' says Halle. 'It taught me how to take care of myself and that I could live through any situation, even if it meant going to a shelter for a small stint, or living within my means, which were meagre.'