Halle Berrywasn’t interested in imitation.
I justrescued four kittiesI found in my yard three weeks ago.
Im a Catwoman through and through because of that experience and those relationships, she continues.
Halle Berry in ‘Catwoman’.Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection - Design: Alex Sandoval
That experience changed me.
So, why are contemporary viewers suddenly underCatwomans spell?
How did a major studio make such a chaotic picture in the first place?
Nicole Kidman; Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman; Ashley Judd.KMazur/WireImage; Warner Bros. Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty ; Gregg DeGuire/WireImage
More importantly,whydid Berry learn to love a film that the world scorned her for?
DENISE DI NOVI (Producer):It evolved into a bigger movie.
It started off like a small, lower-budget origin story with this French director and a newer star.
Script page from original ‘Catwoman’ movie screenplay.John Brancato
I was wildly excited.
The pitch wasnt really astory;it was just the idea of reinventing Catwoman.
[It was] a Warner Bros. corporate decision to keep this separate from the Batman universe.
‘Catwoman’ originally included a scene with a tiger.John Brancato
BERRY:The beauty of doing it was because itwasntin theBatmanuniverse.
Men, historically, get to have big franchises that revolve around them.
This was an opportunity to be forward-thinking, pushing that envelope for women.
Original opening scene of ‘Catwoman’.John Brancato
Why cant we have our own superhero movie that revolves around us and our universe?
DI NOVI:There was a lot of sexism involved [in separating it from Batman].
It was a female character.
Sharon Stone and Halle Berry in ‘Catwoman’.Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection
I pushed for it to be a feminist saga.
(Representatives for Warner Bros. and Robinov did not respond to EWs request for comment.)
John Brancato
Brancato and Ferris turned in their first draft, dated Aug. 6, 2002.
Halle Berry’s ‘Catwoman’ suit.Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection
BERRY:They gave me a cat early on because I didnt have one.
His name was Playdough.
I watched, studied, and learned how cats think.
Halle Berry as Patience Phillips and Midnight the cat in ‘Catwoman’.Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection
I was full-on cat, all the time.
PITOF (Director):My leverage was little.
I was part of every discussion, but there were 20 people in the room.
Theydlisten, but I didnt have what I did in France: final cut.
BRANCATO:The power that controlled the movie was studio executives.
He tossed everything I thought was good in our earlier work.
We had an oddly cobbled-together version of the script.
Brancato and Ferris were fired twice: once in late 2002 and again after re-boarding months later.
BRANCATO:Theyd been through so many writers and versions.
There was exhaustion at the studio.
Well, whatcanwe do?
It was an odd process.
It was a strange, out-of-control machine.
PITOF:I worked with Ed for about two months on [this darker story].
I went to Vancouver to begin pre-production.
He said, Okay, lets bring back the previous one and just fix it.
DI NOVI:The studio thought [Eds story] was a little weird.
BRANCATO:There were a lot of things in [our initial draft] that I liked.
BERRY:I always thought the idea of Catwoman saving women from a face cream felt a bit soft.
All the other superheroes save the world; they dont just save women from cracked faces.
Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection
With a story in place, filming began in September 2003.
PITOF:The rewriting process never ended.
Even while we shot, they kept rewriting.
Even whileediting, we had to keep rewriting it up to the last minute.
BERRY:Things went smoothly [for me].
It was a great shoot, and I had the time of my life.
I worked my ass off to embody a cat in so many ways, psychologically and physically.
PITOF:Theres a scene with a 50-foot Ferris wheel, which was complicated.
We had a flying camera, a huge Technocrane, and a second unit.
I did a preview [shoot] of the entire scene.
DI NOVI:That was a nightmare.
It started off as a pretty way to do a talking scene.
They had to rush the stunt stuff and special effects.
PITOF:We couldnt finish the scene because it was October, when the weather gets bad in Vancouver.
We had to break down and rebuild the Ferris wheel on a huge set with a green screen.
The code name for the scene became The F—ing Ferris Wheel because it was a nightmare!
DI NOVI:That was the first thing that started the negativity.
It was an early shot before wed perfected it.
It was so different than what people were used to in the other movie.
A catsuit, by definition, everything is covered up.
We thought itd be cool to be more rock & roll and bare.
Halle was famous for wearing a bikini in herBondmovie, and we were like, why not?
People hadsucha reaction to it, which is so ridiculous.
We had the famousColleen Atwoodhelping us with just that costume.
Halle had a lot of input.
I still think its cool and a lot more modern!
BRANCATO:Her costume got alotof criticism.
That was certainly beyond Halles control.
They decided to put her in this ridiculous bikini-like thing, and people nailed the movie on that.
It just sort of looks goofy.
BERRY:Fans were upset about the suit.
I felt like it was Halle Berrys failure, but I didnt make it alone, Berry says.
All these years, Ive absolutely carried it.
BERRY:I didnt love [the backlash].
Im used to defying stereotypes and making a way out of no way.
It didnt derail me because Ive fought as a Black woman my whole life.
A little bad publicity about a movie?
PITOF:With bad reviews, it stabs.
Sometimes, theyre unjustified; like, what did they see?
This isnt the movie I made!
How can they see that?
It makes you fragile.
Theres nothing you’re able to do.
You feel no power and that you have no way to fight back.
BERRY:Growing up as a Black woman, thats two strikes against you.
Theres an innate resilience.
I know I can carry it.
I still have a career 20 years later.
Its just part of my story.
Thats okay, and Ive carried other failures and successes.
People have opinions, and sometimes theyre louder than others.
You just have to keep moving.
DI NOVI:I learned so much about myself and the business from this.
Id never had a public failure like that, where I got the Razzie and those terrible reviews.
It was painful, and I felt like my career was over and that I was a failure.
I told my husband I wanted to get away from it.
My son said, Yeah, my mommy madeCatwoman!
The driver goes, Oh, sorry to hear that.
I heard it was a piece of shite.
I laughed and thought,Thank you, universe.
BERRY:The studio knew what I was going to do at the Razzies.
I told them I wanted to take the piss out of it and laugh at it.
I wrote [that speech] within an inch of my life.
you might never take awaymy Oscar, no matter how bad you bash me!
If you say I earned it, Ill take this, too.
BERRY:Critics have so much power.
When a movie comes out, if critics say its not worth watching and smash it, people listen.
Younger generations dont know what was said back then.
They discover it on their own and enjoy its merits without being mind-led to think a certain way.
PITOF:When you look back in context,Catwomanwas ahead of its time.
Now, after some key movements, we have more diversity and inclusiveness.
Younger audiences see things differently and are much more open.
They take it as it is.
LILI SIMMONS (Adult Selina Kyleon FoxsGothamTV series):Halles performance is iconic.
Halle is a powerhouse with crazy athleticism, versatility, and depth.
Her work is reflective of her consistent effort to be curious and knowledgeable about her characters.
She showed that in her rendition of Catwoman and is still doing it 20 years later.
Even if it failed and didnt turn out the way we hoped, we must continue to take chances.
We have to try.
BICONDOVA:Halle exudes femininity through her strength and class.
She carries curiosity and perseverance in her eyes.
Shes one who takes her job seriously and does it well.
To me, its what made her perfect to play Catwoman.
Just like Catwoman has beenthatgirl, Halle Berry has beenthatwoman and forever will be.
BERRY:I love when I see any womans version of what Catwoman is to them.
It makes me happy.
I dont feel theres any competition.
We all have our version of this iconic character.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
