Halle Berry once feared menopause meant curtains for her sex life.
Berry has long been open about aging, but during the Bare It All event on June 9, she revealed that not a single doctor had warned her about entering menopause — a revelation she shared with a mix of candor and irony, according to People magazine. Admitting she had harbored “unrealistic” expectations about midlife, Berry joked that she assumed she’d “skip” menopause altogether.
The Oscar-winning actor confessed that one particular symptom — vaginal dryness — shook her confidence just as she began a new relationship with musician Van Hunt. She feared this physiological shift marked a permanent end to her sensual self, especially in the bedroom.
“I was really afraid at that time that I would never enjoy that part of my femininity again and that I had lost that,” Berry admitted. “I finally found my person and now the worst joke in the world [has] happened to me.”
She emphasized how little menopause is discussed — even among women — and expressed concern that many suffer in silence, unaware that support exists. In response, her wellness brand Respin teamed up with Joylux to develop a lubricating gel and an intimacy device aimed to help women reclaim their sexual agency.
“They serviced my very first needs when I realized that I was in menopause, they helped me get my intimacy back and my sex life back,” Berry explained.
Since then, Berry has embraced her new chapter, and her relationship with Hunt remains strong — albeit unconventionally so. In a separate interview on June 5, she addressed why they’ve chosen not to marry.
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“Well, I’ve been married three times,” she said. “Van has been married once, and so no, we don’t feel like we have to get married to validate our love in any way. We don’t.”
