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  • Halle Berry, Olivier Martinez File for Divorce, Aliases Used in Court Papers

    Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez are getting a divorce after spending just two years in what most deem a tumultuous marriage. The Extant actress and her ex-to-be even used aliases on court papers. It’s a bit uncertain why they went that route, as they announced their split publicly just a day later.

    Filing for divorce on Monday, Halle Berry used the names “Hal Maria and Oliver Martin” to end her marriage, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason behind the split. The two share a son. The divorce papers didn’t note Berry as seeking primary custody of the child, but instead read she sought what is in “the best interests of the child,” the L.A. Times reports.

    “It is with a heavy heart that we have come to the decision to divorce,” Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez said via a joint statement to People magazine on Tuesday.

    “We move forward with love and respect for one another and the shared focus of what is best for our son. We wish each other nothing but happiness in life and we hope that you respect our and, most importantly, our children’s privacy as we go through this difficult period.”

    This marks the third divorce for Halle Berry. She was previously married to David Justice–a baseball player–and to musician Eric Benet. She and French model Gabriel Aubry share custody of their daughter Nahla. Berry and Aubry never married.

    Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez announced their engagement back in March of 2012 and married in July of 2013, just a few months after announcing she was pregnant. The wedding took place in France.

    Source list a number of reasons for the split. One reports that Halle Berry was incensed over Olivier Martinez being named in a recent lawsuit for hitting an LAX employee with their son’s carseat in January. This isn’t the first physical altercation Martinez has been involved in either. He has had several fights with Gabriel Aubry.

    If Olivier Martinez is a violent man, Halle Berry may have finally thrown in the towel in order to distance herself from the anger than undoubtedly consumes him. People who react physically to unpleasant situations are often harboring a great deal of anger and rage.

    Are you surprised to learn of Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez’s impending divorce–or did you see this one coming from miles away?

  • Halle Berry Not Returning as Molly Woods, “Extant” Cancelled

    Halle Berry won’t be returning to her role as Molly Woods, as her summer drama series Extant was cancelled by the network.

    “CBS, Halle Berry and the producers have decided to conclude the Extant story after last season’s exciting and fitting conclusion,” Glenn Geller, president of CBS Entertainment, said. “Extant played an important role in expanding CBS’s lineup of original scripted programming in the summer. We are proud of the show’s success on the network, as well as its popularity on Amazon Prime Video. We also want to thank the incomparable Halle Berry for her commitment and support for the series, and look forward to working with her on our next project together.”

    Extant’s second series ended last month. The show was based on astronaut Molly Woods (played by Halle Berry) who was pregnant when she returned home to her family after 13 months on a solo mission in outer space.

    In season two, Extant became more of a drama than a sci-fi thriller. Some believe that’s why ratings didn’t support a third season of the show. Cast changes resulted in only three of the original seven actors remaining on board for the second season.

    Halle Berry issued a statement about the cancellation of Extant.

    “I am so proud of what we accomplished on Extant,” she said. “This season seemed such a natural place to end Molly’s journey that I, along with CBS, felt it best served the story to leave it there. I’ve loved this experience working with such a talented cast and creative team. ‎It was my first foray into episodic television, and I’m excited to continue my relationship with CBS, producing more compelling stories through my 606 Films production banner.”

    Were you a fan of Extant? Are you surprised to see it end, or did you anticipate–based on the season two wrap up–that it might not return for a third season?

  • Halle Berry, Olivier Martinez Not Divorcing

    Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez aren’t getting a divorce. Recent rumors had the couple splitting up because the Extant actress was spotted sans her wedding ring.

    Halle Berry believes she lost the ring when she and Olivier Martinez were at the Acapulco International Film Festival in Mexico back in January of 2014. She and her husband have yet to replace the ring because it’s simply not a priority in their extremely busy lives.

    Fans are likely pleased to know that Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez aren’t joining the growing list of celebrity couples who are throwing in the towels on their marriages. Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert recently announced they’re already divorced. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner have separated.

    In other Halle Berry News, the pretty and talented actress recently shared some of the healthful eating tips that help her maintain her sexy, svelte physique.

    As a diabetic, Berry is mindful of the fact that her children could one day be diagnosed with the disease as well, and so she has made some very constructive changes to her eating regimen.

    “When I found out, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I have a disease.’ I was terrified. But I’m healthier since the diagnosis, and I think it has made me a better mom, because I’m so aware of how much sugar we consume. I’ve very conscious of what my children eat and how much they take in. People think it’s hard to cut out sugar, but it can be done. You just have to put some effort in,” she said in a recent interview.

    Halle Berry seems to have quite a solid handle on all the many facets of her life. Fortunately her marriage falls in that category, too. She has had enough problems fighting ex Gabriel Aubrey over issues like custody and child support. She doesn’t need marital problems, too.

  • Halle Berry Talks Lost Ring, Divorce Rumors and Her Figure-Friendly Diet

    When Halle Berry lost her wedding ring while accepting the Silver Jaguar Award at the Acapulco International Film Festival in 2014, the rumor mill kicked up big time with reports that the Extant actress was divorcing husband Olivier Martinez.

    Those rumors are absolutely false, says Halle Berry.

    Berry still doesn’t know what happened to the ring, and the couple simply decided not to buy a new engagement ring after it either slipped off her finger or she accidentally left it somewhere. Her wedding band remains securely on her left hand and her marriage remains strong.

    Another Halle Berry strength is her rock hard body at the age of (almost) 48. The actress admits that it’s not always easy to stay healthy with two young children, Maceo, 22 months, and Lahlia, who is seven, and a successful career.

    “It is a whole lot of work. I mean, I’ve never worked so hard in my life. I was nursing, my baby was just three months old when we started, so I was doing drive-by nursings every two hours,” Berry told The Daily Mail.

    Halle maintains her enviable figure by following a sugar-free, low-carb diet and working out regularly.

    As a diabetic, Halle Berry is especially careful about monitoring her food intake.

    “Because I’m diabetic, I totally changed my diet and workout regimen a few years ago. I don’t eat fried foods or refined sugar — only natural sugar in fruit and vegetables. And I don’t eat carbs a lot,” she said.

    Halle also believes that avoiding sugar helps with staying young.

    “I avoid sugar and that helps with anti-aging. I use Xylitol as a sugar substitute and give it to my daughter. I strongly believe in talking about nutrition at an early age and setting a good example.”

    As for her workout routine, Halle Berry consults with celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak and follows his 5-Factor Fitness program that emphasizes a combination of cardio with core work and strength training.

  • ‘The Good Wife’ Signs Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan as New Investigator

    The Good Wife will have a new investigator when the show returns for its seventh season this fall. Jeffrey Dean Morgan has signed on as a regular on the series, playing Alicia Florrick’s (played by Julianna Margulies) latest hire.

    Alicia may have hired Alex, who CBS describes as “a calm, experienced hourly investigator,” but no one has yet divulged whether he will work for the new firm Michael J. Fox’s character proposed at the end of season six–or for Lockhart Argos.

    The Good Wife executive producers Robert and Michelle King issued a press release about the new character.

    “We’ve loved and admired Jeffrey Dean Morgan for years, and we were thrilled to hear that Julianna did too, so it was a no-brainer to ask him to join our troupe,” they wrote.

    When Jeffrey Dean Morgan arrives on The Good Wife, viewers might think he looks a bit familiar. That’s because he currently stars alongside Halle Berry in Extant, and he also appeared in Texas Rising–a recent miniseries.

    Us Weekly speculates that Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s new character might be The Good Wife’s new Kalinda.

    Fans will simply have to tune in for themselves to see if he plays a similar role.

    Are you a fan of The Good Wife? Will you be checking out Jeffrey Dean Morgan in his new role starting this fall?

  • Lena Dunham: Malia Obama Works On Set of ‘Girls,’ May Have Helped President’s Daughter Get Internship

    Lena Dunham may have been instrumental in helping Malia Obama get her summer job. Of course the fact that she’s the president’s daughter didn’t hurt either.

    It seems Malia is a big fan of Lena Dunham, and when the Girls actress visited the White House a while back, the first daughter admitted as much to Dunham.

    “She’s a fan, and she mentioned that to Lena [Dunham] when she came to the White House,” a source close to the production said in a recent interview with Us Weekly. “I’m not sure how long she’ll be interning for. It’s a bit of a trial thing for her. They’ve known each other and discussed for a while. Lena and her get along great.”

    So far Malia Obama has delivered coffee to Lena Dunham and her cast mates and crew, and has helped keep fans away from the Girls set.

    Working for Lena Dunham isn’t Malia Obama’s first celebrity encounter, however. Last summer she interned for Halle Berry on the set of Extant.

    At the end of this summer, Malia will return to her final year at the private Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. A year from this fall she will head to college.

    She will no doubt impress her new friends–as well as those she’ll spend her senior year with–when she dishes on what it was like working all summer in such close proximity to Lena Dunham.

    But then again, she’s Malia Obama. People are probably already a bit in awe of her for being President Obama’s daughter.

    Do you suppose she might shower her BFFs with merchandise or souvenirs signed by Lena Dunham at the end of her summer internship?

  • Halle Berry: No Boobs Touching Knees for ‘Extant’ Actress

    Halle Berry is drop dead gorgeous. There’s no question about that. Now she’s sharing one vital piece of information about how she’s stayed that way–with regard to one of her major assets.

    The Extant star has just released her own line of lingerie in Target stores, and she says there’s a reason behind her passion for good quality undergarments.

    “It is because I wear these things all the time, if you don’t want your boobs on your knees, it’s very important,” she said during an interview with Extra.

    “It’s something I’ve always loved, I mean I have worn a bra and slept in a bra, probably TMI, since I was 16 years old,” she added. “My mother taught me the importance of that and taking care of my body on that end, so lingerie and undergarments have been really important to me.”

    Halle Berry partnered with Scandale Paris lingerie to create her one-of-a-kind collection of pieces that are sexy, pretty, functional, and affordable.

    Presently working on the second season of her hit CBS series Extant, Halle Berry will soon be back on TV for another summer run.

    Between her lingerie line, TV, and family–which includes daughter Nahla, who is seven and from her relationship with Gabriel Aubry, and son Maceo, who is 18 months old and from her marriage to actor Olivier Martinez–she is one busy lady.

    Nahla is quite likely to grow up to be as beautiful as her mom.

    “She’s into dress up, hair and make-up, fashion shows, she’s a girl, girl, girl, you will not find her in a tree, she’s in the salon with me playing with my makeup and just trying to be all things girly girl,” Halle Berry says.

    She adds that Nahla is very protective of her little brother, and expects she will give the young ladies a hard time down the road, when they line up to date him.

    “Nahla will not be having it, she’s so protective of him.” Halle joked, “She’s all but said, ‘Girls look out, gotta go by me!’”

    There’s certainly lots of responsibility weighing Halle Berry down, but she appears to take it all in stride. Two things that won’t be weighed down, however, are those boobs. They’ll likely be supported even better than before, thanks to her new lingerie line.

  • Halle Berry Talks About Her Boobs [Pic]

    Halle Berry Talks About Her Boobs [Pic]

    Halle Berry takes really good care of her boobs.

    When Halle Berry talked to Extra about the launch of her new line of lingerie in partnership with Scandale Paris, she revealed that she has a piece of her beauty regimen that most women are not willing to keep up with.

    “It’s something I’ve always loved, I mean I have worn a bra and slept in a bra, probably TMI, since I was 16 years old. My mother taught me the importance of that and taking care of my body on that end, so lingerie and undergarments have been really important to me.”

    Well, they say that you should work in and invest in things that you know about personally. So, Halle Berry gets to do bras.

    “It is because I wear these things all the time,” she said. “If you don’t want your boobs on your knees, it’s very important.”

    Halle Berry also talked about the fact that her show, Extant, is heading into its second season on television. In this time of tons of show cancellations, that makes her pretty happy.

    “Not everybody is that fortunate, so there’s a play place for my kids to come, and Nahla loves to come drive around on the Paramount golf cart, that’s the place she really gets to drive.”

    She also spoke about her efforts to put a stop to paparazzi harassment of her and her daughter. She had wanted to move her daughter Nahla out of the country, but was forbidden to do so due to a custody agreement with the girl’s father.

    But she and Jennifer Garner worked to pass an anti-paparazzi law that has giver her some relief when she is out with her daughter.

    “You don’t see us anymore, you look on the internet you don’t see me going to the market anymore, pumping gas, walking my kids to the park, going to school, it has revolutionized our lives, changed our world, and most importantly my kids — they’re free to go out now, they’re not harassed.”

  • Poppy Montgomery is ‘Unforgettable,’ Thanks to A&E

    Poppy Montgomery has experienced the cancellation of her mystery drama, Unforgettable, not just once–but twice. Now it’s been rescued by A&E, and a fourth season of 13 new episodes will soon be back on TV.

    Montgomery plays the role of former detective Carrie Wells. Wells has a rare condition that won’t allow her to forget anything she’s ever seen or heard. When Wells is brought in to help work a case run by her ex-boyfriend, Detective Al Burns (played by Dylan Walsh, who will also be returning for the fourth season), she is reinstated as a detective and becomes part of his team.

    Poppy Montgomery first heard her show had been cancelled by CBS back in 2012. When producers considered selling it to a cable network, CBS scooped it back up again, with 13 episodes that ran during the summer of 2013. Although it returned again for the summer of 2014, CBS cancelled it one more time, in favor of shows like Under the Dome and Extant.

    Prior to her work on Unforgettable, Poppy Montgomery starred in a popular CBS mystery drama. She played FBI agent Samantha Spade on Without A Trace, which aired from 2002 to 2009.

    Are you an Unforgettable fan? Are you happy to learn that A&E has picked the show up and ordered 13 brand new episodes?

    In addition to Poppy Montgomery and Dylan Walsh, Unforgettable also stars Saturday Night Live alum Jane Curtin.

  • Halle Berry Dishes About Her Children, Talks ‘Extant’

    Halle Berry’s a busy woman!

    Earlier this year, she starred in the Marvel Comics’ box office hit film X-Men: Days of Future Past and she’s also found her place on the small screen. But, that’s not all! The 48-year-old actress is also a mommy!

    Although she has a lot on her plate with two small children and a demanding career, she recently revealed motherhood has actually made her career a bit easier, reports Cover Media.

    During a recent interview, she explained how pregnancy and motherhood are beneficial for her latest role on CBS’s science-fiction television series Extant.

    On the show, Berry portrays Molly Woods, an astronaut who returns home inexplicably pregnant after a 13-month solo mission in outer space. Ironically, Berry was eight months pregnant when the network offered her the role. So, she had absolutely no problems portraying a pregnant woman on the small screen.

    “It wasn’t much of a stretch for me to play this character right after I gave birth,” she said. “I don’t know much about being an astronaut but I knew that I could fake being pregnant!”

    Berry went on to point out a number of similarities between her and Molly Woods. She explained how easy it is to relate to her intriguing character.

    “I felt that I could relate to the character deeply and that she was a very interesting woman who has an important job and is pushing herself to be successful and also wants to have a happy home life. She has a strong sense of her role as a mother and that was probably the single most important aspect to Molly that resonated with me.”

    She also discussed her perspective of the series itself. The Golden Globe-winning actress delved into the evolution of key roles being written for women and the progression of small screen production.

    “This was a series that struck me as being very well written and I was anxious to get involved. This is a great role and we’re seeing more and more important roles being written for women now on TV. Over the last several years people have also recognized that some of the best work in Hollywood is being done on TV.”

    Then, of course Berry opened up about her two children and becoming a mother again!

    “It’s been such a beautiful time. I feel blessed. I never expected to have another baby at this point in my life, and so it’s been such a gift for us. Nahla loves playing with Maceo,” she dished.

    She also revealed some interesting details about how she balances being a mother and a working actress. When asked whether or not the kids go to work with her, she answered with a resounding yes!

    “Yes. I didn’t really have a choice because I’ve been nursing Maceo and I believe very strongly in breastfeeding,” she said. “Nahla also comes and joins me on the set after she finishes school and she just loves that time with me and the baby.”

  • Halle Berry Stuns At Emmy Awards

    Ageless, timeless beauty.

    Is there a better way to describe Halle Berry? Among a sea of gorgeous Hollywood actors and actresses at last night’s 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Berry stood out in a breathtaking, lush, purple gown.

    The 48-year-old wore a long halter gown with a high thigh-slit that showed off her right leg. The dress was sexy but stylish. Elie Saab designed the outfit that featured a cinch belt at the waist which helped to show off Berry’s slim silhouette. Berry also sported her token cute pixie-cute.

    The actress was a presenter at last night’s ceremony. She gave out the award for Outstanding Drama Series. Breaking Bad took home the honors along with several other awards last night, including statues for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series won by Bryan Cranston, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series won by Aaron Paul, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series won by Anna Gunn.

    Berry has been nominated for two Emmys in the past, both for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries. The first nomination, which resulted in an Emmy win, came in 2000 for her titular role in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. Her second nod came in 2005 for Their Eyes Were Watching God.

    Berry also got a lot of love on Twitter for her stunning appearance last night.

    You can currently see Berry play an astronaut in the CBS sci-fi drama Extant, which airs on Wednesdays 10/9c.

  • Halle Berry Calls “Extant” Co-Star “Boy Wonder”

    Halle Berry has found some small screen success with her show, Extant. The show features Berry as an astronaut that returns from a 13-month solo mission in space only to find out that she is mysteriously pregnant.

    Although she was alone, and infertile, Molly becomes pregnant with possibly the world’s first artificially intelligent humanoid. The question is-how?

    There’s no doubt that Halle Berry is enjoying her time filming Extant. She even said that she enjoyed playing an expectant mother, even though that mother isn’t expecting in the normal sense.

    “I’m the happiest in my life when I have been pregnant, truly. So to be pregnant again on a show right after giving birth didn’t scare me at all. I thought, ‘I’m going to ace that part of this, for sure!’” said Halle Berry of her exciting role.

    Not only does she enjoy playing an expectant mother, Berry says she enjoys working with her on-screen son, Pierce Gagnon.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aozxl-H9flM

    “We call him “Boy Wonder.” He’s so smart and so talented, but at the same time, he’s a little kid. As our showrunner Greg Walker says, we just hope to return him to his family as he was when he came to us. That’s our goal — not to ruin him.”

    That would be nice. That’s all we need is another nutty child star running around in 10 years.

    Halle Berry says that filming for TV is different, but she’s learning as time goes on.

    She said, “It’s like flying without a net. I’m just having to trust, and I have a wonderful team of people that I’m working with, so it’s not that hard for me to … but there’s still an element of letting go of control, not knowing where you’re going, and hoping to craft a character that’s going to make sense at the end of the day.”

    Halle Berry is such a talent and so great in Extant. Good luck to her as she continues with the show!

    Image via YouTube

  • Halle Berry’s “Extant” Ratings Not Great

    Halle Berry’s “Extant” Ratings Not Great

    Halle Berry’s show, Extant, on CBS has been bumped to a new time slot. In case you’re a fan and didn’t get the news yet, Extant will now come on at 10 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. on Wednesdays.

    The move is reportedly the result of a fairly significant ratings disappointment for Halle Berry’s show. It premiered July 9th to a lukewarm reception. One would think that, with Steven Spielberg in the list of producers, Extant would take off. But it just didn’t.

    Halle Berry didn’t do so great with the key demographic, unfortunately. Extant drew a 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, which is the most important to advertisers. While those numbers made it the summer’s top new series premiere, it was way below Under the Dome, which was CBS’ summer event series last year.

    Under the Dome scored a 3.3 rating among the 18-49 crowd.

    Halle Berry is really quite amazing in this show. It is her first role in a long time at performing on the small screen, and her big screen fumbles are quickly forgotten.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32FbVRrVVNE

    I’m thinking Halle Berry in Catwoman and Die Another Day, in case you were wondering.

    She plays an astronaut that comes home from a 13-month solo mission in space only to find out that she is pregnant. Add to that the fact that Halle Berry’s character is infertile, and it’s quite an amazing premise.

    Halle Berry has really enjoyed filming the show, and that seems to come through in her performance. She said of the thrill of working with Steven Spielberg,

    “A name like that, you don’t really sneeze at. I know the quality of his work and I know that he loves this sort of genre. This was a character that when I first read (the script) was so relatable to me.” Halle Berry said. “While I’m not an astronaut or scientist — far, far from it — I still had an understanding about the human quality of this woman and her struggle to not only find time for herself, but also to be a good mother. The fact that she’s a scientist becomes a little bit irrelevant pretty fast. It becomes very human.”

    Hopefully the new time spot will drum up ratings a little for Halle Berry and Extant! Again, it is now on CBS Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

    Image via YouTube

  • Halle Berry’s ‘Extant’ Moves to a Later Time Slot

    The ratings haven’t been stellar for Extant, the CBS drama starring Oscar winning actress Halle Berry. CBS plans to rectify this by moving the freshman series to a later time-slot, effective immediately.

    In the series, Berry stars as Molly Woods, an astronaut who returns home after spending 13-months alone in space. Molly tries to readjust to her life, while also trying to discover the mystery behind her sudden pregnancy. Extant will move from its original 8:00 pm time-slot to 9:00 pm CST on Wednesday nights. Prior to the move, CBS hoped their hit reality series Big Brother would help boost the show’s rating. However, Extant hasn’t been as successful as the reality series, even losing half of Big Brother’s viewers in its latest episodes. Now Extant will get a lead-in from reruns of Criminal Mind.

    Extant premiered on July 9 to 9.4 million viewers (a 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic), which made it the biggest series premiere of the summer. Last summer, Under the Dome brought CBS even bigger ratings. That series premiere drew in 13.1 million viewers (a 3.2 rating). This made it the most-watched summer premiere for a drama since 1992.

    Extant‘s ratings have been decreasing since its premiere. The series’ most recent episode only drew in 6.4 viewers, with a 1.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

    The time-slot shift may help increase Extant‘s ratings drastically. CBS recently switched the time-slots of its veteran series Unforgettable and its newbie one Reckless. This improved Unforgettable‘s ratings by 43 percent. It also stabilized Reckless‘ ratings.

    Extant also stars Goran Visnjic as Molly’s husband John Wood. Steven Spielberg is among the series many executive producers.

    Extant will immediately move to its new time slot on Wednesday, July 30.

    Image via Extant, Facebook

  • Halle Berry: Happy To Play Role Of Expectant Mother

    Halle Berry loves being pregnant, so it’s no surprise that she shines in her new role in the CBS series, Extant.

    “I’m the happiest in my life when I have been pregnant, truly. So to be pregnant again on a show right after giving birth didn’t scare me at all. I thought, ‘I’m going to ace that part of this, for sure!’” said Halle Berry of her exciting role.

    And ace it, she certainly has. Halle Berry is earning some rave reviews for her acting chops on the show. She plays a woman that just spent 13 months in space alone completing a solo mission who comes home only to find out that she is inexplicably pregnant.

    Halle Berry’s character is infertile, and she realizes that she is about to give birth to the world’s first artificially intelligent humaniod.

    Her outstanding performance in Extant could be the digression that Halle Berry needs from bland acting roles that seem to plague her. Catwoman and X-Men: The Last Stand have really done her no good whatsoever.

    Of course, as the icing on the cake, Halle Berry got to work with screen giant Steven Spielberg. She said of Spielberg,

    “A name like that, you don’t really sneeze at. I know the quality of his work and I know that he loves this sort of genre. This was a character that when I first read (the script) was so relatable to me. While I’m not an astronaut or scientist — far, far from it — I still had an understanding about the human quality of this woman and her struggle to not only find time for herself, but also to be a good mother. The fact that she’s a scientist becomes a little bit irrelevant pretty fast. It becomes very human.”

    Sounds like an interesting show! Catch Halle Berry in Extant on CBS Thursdays at 8.

    Image via YouTube

  • Halle Berry Getting Rave Reviews For New Drama

    Halle Berry is getting excellent reviews after her new sci-fi drama, Extant, premiered earlier this month.

    The story–which is being shown in a 13-episode feature–focuses on Berry’s character, an astronaut who comes home from a solo space mission and finds out she’s pregnant. The first episode garnered 9.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched television event during the week it premiered.

    Greg Walker, one of the show’s producers, said he wasn’t sure Berry would be up to the task originally, since she gave birth in real life just prior to tackling the role.

    “We’re sitting at her house and I’m pitching all these terrible, horrible things that can happen. And I’m looking down at her stomach and thinking, ‘Can she handle it?’” Walker said.

    But Berry says that having just gone through the pain and joys of pregnancy and childbirth actually helped her take on the role with vigor, and she had no qualms with what the storyline entailed.

    “I’m the happiest in my life when I have been pregnant, truly. So to be pregnant again on a show right after giving birth didn’t scare me at all. I thought, ‘I’m going to ace that part of this, for sure!’” she said.

    The show isn’t just a cosmic mystery; it also deals with the painful topic of infertility, something Berry’s character is able to deal with before her pregnancy because she is the mother of an artificially intelligent humanoid, made to look like a little boy. One of the show’s producers, Steven Spielberg, has some experience in that area.

    “A name like that, you don’t really sneeze at. I know the quality of his work and I know that he loves this sort of genre.” Berry said. “This was a character that when I first read (the script) was so relatable to me. While I’m not an astronaut or scientist – far, far from it – I still had an understanding about the human quality of this woman and her struggle to not only find time for herself, but also to be a good mother. The fact that she’s a scientist becomes a little bit irrelevant pretty fast. It becomes very human.”

    Extant airs on CBS Thursdays at 8:30.

    Image via YouTube

  • Halle Berry: Motherhood Drew Her to ‘Extant’

    Halle Berry stars in the 13-episode CBS special event Extant that premiered on Wednesday evening. She and one of the Extant producers, Greg Walker, recently dished about how motherhood–and the notion of playing an infertile astronaut pregnant with an unearthly being–drew her to her role as Molly Woods. Berry was pregnant with her second child when Walker–and Steven Spielberg, who is the big-name producer of Extant–pitched the role to her.

    “We’re sitting at her house and I’m pitching all these terrible, horrible things that can happen,” Walker said in their joint interview with News.com.au. “And I’m looking down at her stomach and thinking, ‘Can she handle it?’”

    Halle Berry now stars as Molly, an astronaut who returns to Earth after a 13-month solo mission in space. Her homecoming is beyond complicated by the artificial intelligence “son” created by her scientist husband and her shock at the discovery that she’s pregnant with what must be, given those months without human contact, an unearthly being.

    “I’m the happiest in my life when I have been pregnant, truly,” Halle Berry, who is married to Olivier Martinez, said. “So to be pregnant again on a show right after giving birth didn’t scare me at all. I thought, ‘I’m going to ace that part of this, for sure!’”

    Greg Walker wouldn’t hint at whether Halle Berry will spend all 13 weeks of the CBS special event pregnant or not. He did, however, hint at the notion that, while it is deemed a ‘special event,’ if the numbers allow, Extant could become a full-fledged series. He also promised that “startling and strange things” will drive Molly down intriguing paths.

    “It will have elements of Rosemary’s Baby because she’s having the child with something unknown. What is this entity? Will it stay here? Is it really her baby?” Berry said.

    Goran Visnjic of ER fame plays Halle Berry’s husband. Camryn Manheim plays her doctor.

    Did you tune in on Wednesday night to see Halle Berry star as Molly in Extant? Some believe it might be the blockbuster small screen hit of the summer season. Did your first taste leave you hungry for more? If so, you’re not alone.

    Image via YouTube

  • Extant Lands on Amazon Prime This Weekend

    Extant Lands on Amazon Prime This Weekend

    If you’re curious about Halle Berry’s new sci-fi drama Extant and missed the premiere on CBS earlier this week, you’ll be able to stream it this weekend via Amazon Prime Instant Video.

    It’ll pop up on Sunday, July 13.

    Extant‘s super-fast appearance on a streaming service comes from a deal Amazon made with CBS back in January to bring new episodes of the show to their catalog just four days after they air on CBS. It’s the same model that Amazon and CBS have for another series, Under the Dome.

    “Judging from the customer response we got to Under the Dome last summer, we know Prime members are going to enjoy having access to Extant just four days after it airs on CBS,” said Brad Beale, Director of Digital Video Content Acquisition for Amazon. “We love innovating on behalf of our customers and are fortunate to be able to collaborate with CBS to offer this unique model to Prime members.”

    In fact, the Under the Dome deal was such a huge hit with streamers that it was the most-watched series of the summer on all of Amazon Prime Instant Video.

    “Last summer with Under the Dome, CBS and Amazon demonstrated how a broadcast network and premium streaming service can maximize the viewer experience while building a hit television show,” said Scott Koondel, Chief Corporate Licensing Officer, CBS Corporation. “Using this proven model again for Extant, we’re excited to offer TV viewers and Prime members another big event, summer series.”

    Berry has said that she feels like the character she plays in the new series is “in her DNA.” The show has received decent reviews so far, with the most enthusiastic calling it “compelling” and “elegant” and the least affectionate calling it “copycat” and “bogged down.”

    Image via Extant CBS, Facebook

  • Halle Berry Believes in Aliens?

    Halle Berry admits she believes in aliens!

    On Monday, July 7, the 47-year-old actress appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman to discuss her latest role in the new CBS series, Extant.

    Berry portrays Molly Woods, an astronaut who returns home pregnant after spending a year in outer space on a solo mission. The upcoming show, which centers around artificial intelligence and extraterrestrial life, led to the conversation to the topic of aliens.

    When Letterman asked the Gothika actress about her belief in the existence of extraterrestrial life, surprisingly she admitted she believes other “species” may exist.

    “I don’t believe that we are the only species in existence,” she said. “Really?” Letterman asked. “I don’t think so,” she said.

    Letterman went on to ask whether or not she believed “other things” existed in the universe. Berry explained that she doesn’t believe humans and animals are the only surviving creatures on the planet.

    “My ego doesn’t tell me that we are the only ones who have survived. I think it might take us 20 years to get to those other life forms but I think they are out there.”

    While most fans would probably just consider her statement to be an effective way to promote the new show, this isn’t the first time Berry has spoke openly about her belief in the existence of aliens.

    A couple weeks ago, Berry attended the premiere screening for the upcoming science fiction series. She also shared her perspective of aliens with the Los Angeles Times.

    “I’m not so egotistical to think that we’re the only ones living in this vast, vast universe. I do think there’s other life out there.” During the premiere screening event, CBS Entertainment chairman, Nina Tassler, spoke highly of Berry, praising her transition from the big screen to primetime television.

    “[‘Extant’] was a powerful and unique story, and we were instantly captivated when Academy Award-winner Halle Berry joined the project,” Tassler said. “Her enormous talent and presence elevated the series to a new stratosphere. Getting Halle Berry was one of the biggest coups of the year for television.”

    Extant is scheduled to premiere Wednesday, July 9 on CBS.

    Image via YouTube

  • Halle Berry Talks About Her TV Debut in New CBS Series ‘Extant’

    Halle Berry will be making her TV debut this week in a new CBS Sci-fi drama, Extant, and she recently opened up about the show and making the move to television.

    In the series, the Oscar-winning actress plays an astronaut, Molly Woods, who has been on a space station for a long time and is now back with her family and adjusting to normal life.

    During a recent press conference, Berry was asked what drew her to the Steven Spielberg project.

    “There were so many elements,” Berry said, “but probably the first one was being a mother. This was a character when I first read it that was so relatable to me. I felt like it was just in my DNA. I had a knowingness about this character. I had a fundamental understanding. While I’m not an astronaut or scientist, far, far from it, I still had an understanding about the human quality of this woman and her struggle to not only find time for herself, which is what she loves to do, … but also to be a good mother.”

    Berry said she can easily relate to her character of Molly.

    “She’s strong. She’s complicated. I’m complicated. But she has a will to survive, to win. She’s good at her heart,” said Berry.

    Like so many other big-screen actors who are making the move to television, she said the switch from the big screen to television no longer has stigma attached to it.

    “And for me I feel like the best writing now is on television,” she said.

    In the series, Berry‘s character has a robot son, Ethan (Pierce Gagnon), who was created by her husband, John (Goran Visnjic).

    She hinted that the robot theme will lead to questions about love and what makes us human.

    “I don’t think there’s one thing that makes us human and that’s what this series is all about,” she said.

    “Can we teach it to love? Can we give it free will? Will it act as human beings act over time? What intrigued me about this series is to try to discover the answer(s). Can we teach someone to be human? Hopefully by the time we finish this series, we might have a better answer. We might be able to intelligently talk about it. If you believe that love is what makes you human, then that beckons the question, will Ethan, will the robot, ever be able to really love? Will he be able to love Molly and John, his parents? That’s the question our show is also asking,” said Berry.

    Extant premieres Wednesday on CBS.

    Image via YouTube

  • Halle Berry Goes Zero G For New CBS Series ‘Extant’

    The clip opens in the space station, with a circular fogged up window where the words “Help me,” are etched into the fog. It’s the handsome ex-lover of Molly Woods, the character played by Halle Berry in CBS’s new sci-fi drama Extant, and after she opens the door to the space station, Molly Woods floats backwards in zero-gravity, while her ex-lover steps on board, his face betraying little, if any, emotion.

    The music is creepy, the visuals spotless, and the premise unusual. It’s only Halle Berry’s second television series she’s worked for in her career and when asked why she chose it, she said:

    “There were so many elements but probably the first one was being a mother. This was a character when I first read it that was so relatable to me. I felt like it was just in my DNA. I had a knowingness about this character. I had a fundamental understanding. While I’m not an astronaut or scientist, far, far from it, I still had an understanding about the human quality of this woman and her struggle to not only find time for herself, which is what she loves to do, … but also to be a good mother.

    “She’s strong. She’s complicated. I’m complicated. But she has a will to survive, to win. She’s good at her heart.”

    Extant pervades mysteries in the premise alone, with Berry’s character Molly Woods returning home from a solo stint in space pregnant, to find relations strained with her husband John, who has created their son through artificial intelligence.

    For Berry to prepare for the role, Greg Walker, one of the executive producers behind Extant, said Berry “did a lot of research. She spoke to a NASA consultant. She went up in the Zero G plane. . . . So she was a true gamer. She was a die-hard.”

    And regarding that Zero G plane…

    “She didn’t get sick,” said Walker. “People around her when they were shooting up in the airplane where she went to test and experience Zero G, people around her got sick, but, no, she didn’t. She made it to the very end. She toughed it out.”

    It is CBS’s second sci-fi drama series premiere in two years. After the success of the adaptation of Stephen King’s Under the Dome, Extant promises 13 episodes of summer sci-fi goodness.

    Berry believes the best writing for women especially is on television and reading the Extant script immediately hooked her. “The minute I started to read (Extant), I couldn’t put it down. I thought, ‘Wow. This is different.’ It’s innovative.”

    The premiere of Extant is scheduled for Wednesday, July 9, on CBS.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons