EXCLUSIVE: Could Halle Berry be doing a TV series? TV industry people are buzzing this afternoon about a hot drama spec that has Halle Berry attached to star. Word is the spec, titled Higher Learning, was sent out today to pay cable networks, with HBO and Showtime among those targeted. I hear that the project, from DreamWorks TV, is eying a quick turnaround, and a decision could come as early as tomorrow. The script, which I hear would have the Oscar winner starring as a college professor, was written by 30-year industry veteran Lee Rose. A queen of TV movies in their heyday during the 1990s, Rose segued to episodic directing over the past 10 years. She also co-ran with Martha Kauffman the WB series Related.
Hot Drama Series Spec With Halle Berry Attached To Star Eyes Pay Cable Networks
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Halle has been a regular on a series before. Remember the classic that was “Living Dolls” and its long 13 episode run? Love Halle but it’s been a tough road post-Catwoman.
The title of this article should read: “Halle Berry undeserving of Oscar, goes crawling to pay cable.”
You are an idiot….and just jealous of people succeeding who have talent…
such a nasty and untrue comment…she is gifted and you just wish you were…
I’d watch it. She has real talent, and the elephant in the room is that as a black actress she gets about a tenth of the opportunities of her counterparts even as an Oscar-winner. More and more established, credible black actors are moving into television because it’s the only place they can do something besides play a maid or best friend to yet another white starlet.
um what is wrong with playing a maid?? Viola Davis, a much better actress ( 2 time TONY WINNER and Oscar nominee) is playing one in The Help, coming out in August.. those stories need to be TOLD and RETOLD..they just didnt need HALLE BERRY trying to play them…
Halle’s career is OVAH…rightfully so.
Yes Viola Davis is a good actress BUT Viola’s next movie is the Help. No surprise, Viola’s character is JUST A MAID. It seems in Hollywood black women do NOT get the opportunities as white women to get the high profile roles on the screen.
Exactly.
Thank you for this honest comment! Halle is a black actress and the truth is despite winning the Oscars she does NOT get the same opportunities as her white female counteparts. Halle has said she is not given a chance by the studios. People talk about Halle having flops but Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Charlize Theron all had bombs in their careers. The difference is, white women are treated differently than black women.
Lee Rose certainly knows how to write interesting female roles but I’m certainly surprised that Halle Berry is willing to do a series at this point. She’s not a box office name and now that the X-Men franchise is done with her and the rest of the expensive original cast members, this is probably all she can get. This and that no doubt dreadful Valentine’s Day sequel that Garry Marshall is doing.
Not to be a hater, but I’m honestly not trying to see Halle Berry every week on TV. I wish they’d offer this to someone fresh…
“not to be a hater, but….” Then don’t!
if this is not a sign that the american film industry in dying and jobs are drying up for movie actors, i don’t know what is. i guess halle just gave up after the movie she produced “Frankie and Alice” tanked and did not get her any oscar nominations.
I think that a series with Hale Berry would definitely make it. Not only is she Beautiful , she is also smart and also a very good actor, obviously. IF the plot of the show and the characters of the supporting cast are good , it could be a really good new series. Hope so. I really like to watch Hale Berry in action. I have been watching her since she made her first movie.
Berry has proven she has the actibg chops. She is an actress who wants to act. Branching out in a different medium in a starring role could be a good career move.
Why not?Several film actors have shows or are getting shows.Patrick Wilson, Maria Bello, Ashley Judd, Don Cheadle, Christina Ricci, Dustin Hoffman and Kevin Spacey.
Halle Berry has never picked good roles. Well, maybe RAISING ISAIH? She’s one of those beauties who will be a much better actor when she gets older and loses some of her looks. Most A stars aren’t that beautiful, male or female, anyway. She is and she’s aging well.
This has Showtime written all over it.
This has Lifetime written all over it.
A series would likely keep her out of family court not a reflection on American cinema.
Agreed. Halle’s off-screen antics have been a turn-off for me.
Go LEE!!!!
She’s always had success on the small screen with fantastic movies such as “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge” and “Their Eyes Were Watching God” that have won her a Golden Globe;a Primetime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Lead Actress
By heading back to TV, Berry joins fellow Oscar-winners Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Holly Hunt and Judi Dench.
Congratulations to Halle Berry if this works out for her
Even Oliver stone is doing tv.
First of all Halle Berry is a great actor and I for one think television needs her on it. I hope both networks are smart enough to know she is a huge star and a huge get…congrats to Dreamworks and lee Rose….
Halle Berry is a star…and gifted…I am thrilled she might come to television….America would be lucky.
Halle Berry has unforunately picked some boring parts that made the audience not remember her great work like, Dorothy Dandridge, James Bond role and others. She needs to take real chances with projects that she does, but it seems that she is to controlling and set in her ways about what she chooses and shows no real variety in parts or projects which is a shame, because there seems to be those people who are willing to finance her even if her projects don’t fare well. A college professor sounds, BORING!
Berry took chances with “Frankie & Alice” but couldn’t get good distribution for it. No one saw it. The reviews for her performance were strong.
The reality is that she doesn’t get offered much good material.
love lee.
Higher Learning, as in the John Singleton movie?
I’m sorry, but Hallie Berry doing a television series is an interesting thing. What’s not interesting is she’s doing a Lee Rose series! Not to be disparaging, but if Hallie Berry tells you she’s ready to do a series, is this the best her reps can do for her? I appreciate the fact that the pilot script might be good, maybe even great, but this is about a series and someone of Hallie’s caliber, putting aside the fact that Hollywood can’t figure out how to make something huge of her talents in film, deserves a writer of real weight who knows how to fashion television series over multiple, successful seasons. Where’s John Wells, or JJ Abrams or Ryan Murphy or Jason Katims? Seems like a missed opportunity and if it doesn’t sell for some reason, it will prove to be a miscalculated effort on all fronts.
I couldn’t agree more. If she comes to TV she needs stellar writing and the show needs to be an event. Kyra Sedgwick is an example of going to TV with incredible writing and a clearly drawn character. Granted, she hasn’t won an Oscar like Halle but if I were Halle, I would aspire to Ms. Sedgwick’s example.
She’s too gorgeous to not be wanted in films. Her face is an attraction by itself. The problem is that former big movie stars like her aren’t willing to take smaller movie roles, and if they do, they ask for 10 million dollars.
Yes everybody is dropping down the pole. The struggling, aspiring actor will drop down to homeless. Way too many movie stars doing commercials and TV…
I would probably get HBO again if the show is decent. We need more dramas with Black leads.
OK, I saw ‘Halle Berry attached to series,’ so far so good, I’m interested.
It’s a drama. Oh. So it’s not likely to be anything new, edgy, innovative. Well, I might still give it a shot, could be some serious adult themes.
It’s called “Higher Learning.” Crap, I’m out. Halle’s gonna be playing a teacher, I can see the episodes unfolding already.
Written by Lee Rose, queen of the MOW.
No thanks. A Catwoman series would’ve been more interesting than this.
All right, I’ve read all of you. Many of you were right on the money about Halle’s beauty, acting ability and credits. What I would like to know is what is wrong with her playing a professor or ‘teacher’ as one of you put it? Good heavens, does every show have to be reality TV or about crime? Don’t get me wrong. I love most of those criminal law shows – Criminal Minds, Body of Proof, The Good Wife, CSI:NY, Law and Order, SVU, etc., but there is another side to life and teaching is a wonderful thing to showcase in a series. We’ve had the pleasure of so few decent shows revolving around the teaching profession, be it high school or university, and I, for one, would love to see it get off the ground. I just wish it would be on one of the networks or AMC, Lifetime – any of them except Showtime or HBO, mostly because I can’t afford those channels. With Halle in it, I know it will be a hit, wherever it ends up.
Please consider that Ms. Berry has a 3-year old child. There have been a number of conflicts with her Baby Daddy about her traveling with the child to do films. That will intensify, and the fast approaching school years will add an extra burden. This looks more a move of necessity although I agree she picks lousy roles or takes them for the money and she had bad repping after her Oscar win.