Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry has addressed claims that movie studio 20th Century Fox used a misleading script to secure her involvement in 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand.” British director Matthew Vaughn revealed that executives at 20th Century Fox developed an extended script for Berry’s popular character Storm that was never intended for the actual film.
Vaughn said he quit the project after discovering the deception. According to Vaughn, the fake script featured an important story arc for Berry’s character beginning with Storm harnessing her weather powers to save children in Africa without access to water. Vaughn called the tactic “shady” and said it led to his decision to leave the film.
Berry shared Vaughn’s interview on Instagram, thanking him for “bringing the dark to light.” She acknowledged deceitful practices can happen behind the scenes in Hollywood. Berry’s response has renewed discussions about ethical negotiations with talent in the lucrative entertainment industry.
As one of the highest-grossing films of the X-Men franchise, “X-Men: The Last Stand” was a box office success but faced some controversy. Berry has played Storm since the beginning of the X-Men movies and remains committed to the franchise. Both she and Vaughn continued to work together on other projects despite this incident.
While Berry actively promotes her current films, this revelation raises questions about transparency between studios and actors. Even established talent like Berry must navigate an intricate industry with sometimes unclear dealings behind the scenes. Representatives for 20th Century Fox’s successor studio have yet to comment on the claims.