Halle Berry tackles tough role as both star, director of new movie 'Bruised'

HOLLYWOOD -- Halle Berry is showing a new side of herself in the movie, "Bruised." She plays a former MMA fighter getting back into the cage. But that's not Berry's only job in this film -- she's also making her debut as a director.

Berry is a big fan of the sport. Still, it's a grueling role to play. The fighting and the training are a big part of Berry's responsibilities here. But she says directing was more grueling, because it is the newest element.

"For me, while I've been in movies for 30 years, still, being behind the camera, setting up the shots, calling the shots, you know, organizing it all, casting it, writing it, those were all, you know, things I had never really done before. I've been training and doing martial arts and, you know, all kinds of things like that for a while now, but to direct was a big, a big challenge," said Berry.

Berry's character suddenly has another challenge that enters the picture. She now needs to fight for her little boy, as she fights to re-claim her life.

"I love a good underdog story. The original 'Rocky' to 'The Wrestler' to 'Million Dollar Baby' to 'Fight Club,' you know, all these movies have always inspired me. And to be a part of telling a new version of that old genre really got me excited," said Berry. "It's through a Black woman's lens. I mean, I can't think of anything that could have been better at this point in my life."

Berry did break two ribs at the beginning of filming. but she kept on going to make this dream come true.

"When you're an actor that does your own stunts, technically, I'm acting as a stuntwoman. And these stunt performers get hurt all the time. We don't hear about it because they don't sit here and do interviews talking about it. But the stuntmen and women always get hurt. So this is just par for the course when you do your own stunts. It's just what is going to happen." said Berry.