Halle Berry embraces turning 60 with 'zero f---s to give' and zero guilt about putting herself first

Halle Berry has entered her 60s with unapologetic clarity, revealing that the process of growing older has granted her greater confidence, emotional freedom, and an absolute refusal to carry guilt for putting herself first.

The Oscar-winning actress reflected on her journey with aging, menopause, and self-worth during Create & Cultivate’s On Her Own Terms: Halle Berry on Menopause, Aging, & Women’s Health panel in downtown Los Angeles, reports PEOPLE.

Speaking candidly with moderator Jaclyn Johnson, Berry pushed back against traditional societal tropes surrounding aging women, asserting that later life is designed to be a person's most liberating phase.

“I think as I’m aging, I’m learning that confidence just grows. It grows. You become more of yourself,” Berry explained. “And that’s why I say this time of life, whenever I’m talking to women, I tell them, this is going to be your best chapter. It’s your ‘I have zero f---s to give’ chapter. And you really start to patronize yourself.”

Halle shared how aging has changed her perspective on life (Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)

The Monster’s Ball star attributed her inner strength to a lifelong refusal to adhere to other people’s standards or external timelines, noting that she never prioritized fitting into the Hollywood mold.

“I think I’ve always had the ability to walk in my own shoes and walk my own path. I’ve never really been a follower. I’ve never tried to keep up with anybody. I’ve realized I’ve always been in my own race,” Berry noted.

That internal certainty has reshaped how the actress manages her personal relationships. Rather than constantly compromising her own energy to accommodate everyone around her, Berry explained that setting firm boundaries at home has become second nature.

“I have no more guilt about it. I do it at will, and I tell my family that all the time. ‘No, I’m not doing that. How about you do that for yourself?’” she shared with a laugh.

The actress turned 60 on August 14 ( Aeon/GC Images)

For Berry, learning to establish firm boundaries is an essential component of preservation rather than an act of neglect. Having the steady support of her fiancé, Grammy-winning musician Van Hunt, has only reinforced that self-assured mindset.

“You learn how to say no with no guilt. You can say no with love because you’re choosing to love yourself. And that’s what I’ve really come to terms with,” Berry concluded. “And now, having my guy that also supports me, loving myself has been, I think, the greatest gift to show up in my life.”