Halle Berry delivers speech about women being ‘devalued’, then calls out California governor and says something that shocks the room

Halle Berry gave a bold speech at the Dealbook Summit this week. She directly called out California Governor Gavin Newsom and said he shouldn’t become the next president. The actress was talking about how women in America are treated as less valuable, especially when they get older. But the audience gasped when she turned to criticize Newsom, who was sitting right there at the event on December 3, 2025.

According to Fox News, Berry didn’t try to be polite. She told the crowd exactly what she thought about politics and her own life as she gets close to turning 60. She made it clear she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, saying, “At this stage in my life, I have zero f***s left to give.”

Then she went after Newsom for vetoing an important healthcare bill. “Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one, but two years in a row,” Berry said. This is a harsh criticism, especially since Newsom said in October that he’s thinking about running for president in 2028.

Berry’s shocking statement left the room stunned

Then Berry said something that really shocked everyone. “But that’s OK, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us, he probably should not be our next president either. Just saying.”

The bill Berry mentioned is called AB 432. Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan wrote it to improve menopause care in California. If it had passed, health insurance companies would have to give good advice about menopause treatments. It also would have made doctors get proper training on menopause care. Newsom rejected the bill for the second time in October. California has been dealing with other accountability issues recently, showing a pattern of enforcement challenges.

Berry, who started a menopause care company called Respin, sees the veto as proof of a bigger problem. She believes women, especially middle-aged women, are treated as less important. She stressed that in 2025, women her age are seen as “past my prime.”

“Our culture thinks that, at 59 years old, I am past my prime, and that women my age start to become invisible in Hollywood, in the workplace, on social media,” she said.

Berry explained that society pushes women to “stay forever 35.” Women only get compliments if they look like they’re “aging backwards,” which is impossible without extreme measures. This forces women to change their bodies and faces in unhealthy ways to chase youth. The lack of accountability extends beyond politics, as seen in how companies handle property damage cases.

Berry admitted she feels this pressure too. “I feel that pressure to change myself in order to stay seen as relevant and desirable,” she said. She ended her speech with a childhood story from Cleveland. She remembered being bullied and beaten up after getting off the bus.

At first, she felt ashamed because she “allowed myself to be treated this way.” But walking home that day, she decided, “No. I’m never going to allow this to happen to me again.” That moment in sixth grade shaped who she is today, which is why she’s not afraid to stand up to anyone, including someone who wants to be president.