Halle Berry is done playing nice. Honestly, at 59, she’s basically told the world she has "zero f—ks left to give," and if you’ve been following the latest news on Halle Berry, you know she isn’t just talking about her next movie role. She’s currently embroiled in a very public, very pointed feud with California Governor Gavin Newsom. It’s a side of the Oscar winner we haven’t seen quite this raw before, and it’s all centered on a topic most of Hollywood used to treat like a career-ending secret: menopause.
Most people know her as the first Black woman to win a Best Actress Oscar or as the powerhouse behind John Wick: Chapter 3. But lately, the conversation has shifted. Berry has effectively pivoted from being a "dancing bear" (her words for an actor-for-hire) to a full-blown health advocate and political agitator.
The Newsom Feud: Why She Said "No" to a 2028 Presidency
The biggest shocker in recent news on Halle Berry came during the DealBook Summit in late 2025 and has carried right into January 2026. Berry stood on stage and straight-up said Gavin Newsom "should not be our next president."
Why the heat? It’s personal. Berry has been the face of the Menopause Care Equity Act (AB 432), a bill designed to force insurance companies to actually cover menopause treatments and require doctors to get trained on it. Newsom vetoed it. Twice.
He cited budget concerns and "cost of care," but Berry isn't buying it. She’s been shouting from the rooftops that untreated menopause symptoms cost the U.S. economy $1.8 billion in lost productivity every year. To her, this isn't just about hot flashes; it's a "human rights issue." Seeing a Hollywood icon take such a specific, policy-heavy stance against a sitting governor is rare. It’s kinda refreshing, even if it’s controversial.
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Respin Health and the Peloton Collab
If you think she’s just complaining, you haven't seen her business moves. Berry launched Respin Health, a platform she calls her "second-act life passion." She didn't just put her name on a bottle of vitamins and call it a day.
Just this month—January 15, 2026, to be exact—a major study released by Respin and Peloton showed some pretty wild results. They ran a 60-day program called the P.R.E.S.S. Study. Basically, they took a bunch of women in menopause, gave them specific strength training and coaching, and 84% of them reported their symptoms actually got better.
- Brain fog dropped by 34%.
- Weight gain issues improved by 41%.
- Energy levels jumped by 33%.
It’s clear she’s trying to build an empire that treats aging like a problem to be solved rather than a slow fade into invisibility. She’s been very open about how perimenopause once made her feel like "razor blades" were involved in her sex life—a level of honesty that would’ve been unheard of for a "Bond Girl" a decade ago.
Back to the Big Screen: "Crime 101" and "Fleur"
Don't worry, she hasn't quit her day job. The news on Halle Berry on the cinematic front is actually pretty stacked for 2026.
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First up is Crime 101, hitting theaters on February 13, 2026. It’s a heavy-hitter cast: Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Barry Keoghan. Berry plays a "disillusioned insurance broker" who gets tangled up with a jewel thief along the 101 freeway in L.A. It’s based on a Don Winslow novella, and the trailer that just dropped shows a grittier, more grounded Berry than we saw in the sci-fi chaos of Moonfall.
Then there’s Fleur. This one sounds like a total departure. She’s playing a New York housewife who moves to Paris and reinvents herself as a high-end dominatrix. Production is starting right now in early 2026. It’s being directed by Ellie Foumbi, and it feels like exactly the kind of "complex, powerful" role Berry told Variety she’s been hunting for.
Why She’s Tired of "Staying in Her Lane"
In a recent podcast appearance on Armchair Expert, Berry admitted that after directing her 2020 film Bruised, she finds it "hard to be quiet" on sets. She’s tired of being the "actor-for-hire" who just does what they're told.
You can see this reflected in her personal life, too. She’s still going strong with musician Van Hunt, whom she claims she "spiritually manifested" after three divorces. She seems to be in a phase where she’s finally comfortable being the boss of her own narrative, whether that’s in her living room in Malibu or in the halls of the state capitol.
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What This Actually Means for You
So, what’s the takeaway from all this news on Halle Berry? It’s not just celebrity gossip.
If you’re navigating your own health "second act," Berry’s Respin platform is actually offering some legitimate, science-backed resources that didn't exist a few years ago. The collaboration with Peloton suggests that strength training is becoming the "gold standard" for managing midlife hormonal shifts.
Next Steps for Staying Updated:
- Check out the Respin x Peloton P.R.E.S.S. study results if you're looking for specific workout tweaks for hormonal health.
- Watch for the Crime 101 release in mid-February to see her return to high-stakes thrillers.
- Keep an eye on the California budget announcements this month; Newsom’s office hinted at a new menopause care proposal to quiet the "Berry-led" backlash.