What Halle Berry's Daughter Looks Like Today
By the time Halle Berry gave birth to her first child at age 41, she had already achieved a mountain of honors. Six years earlier, the cover girl, fashion icon, and legendary beauty had become the first Black woman to win an Academy Award for best actress (via Complex). After taking the industry by Storm — literally — with her performance in "X-Men" as well as roles in "Monster's Ball" and "Catwoman," the superstar was ready to focus on her personal life. In 2007, Berry announced that she was expecting a baby with her then-boyfriend, model Gabriel Aubry. "I've waited a long time for this moment in life," the actor told Access Hollywood.
Berry's daughter was born on March 16, 2008. The baby girl was named Nahla, which means "honeybee" in Arabic. True to her name, she seems to be a total sweetie. Apart from her celebrity lifestyle, Nahla is a typical teenager. Halle Berry is fiercely protective of the youngster's privacy, which helps to explain why she is so well-adjusted. Although Berry takes great care to shield her daughter from the spotlight, we do catch an occasional glimpse of Nahla — and she's taking after her mom in so many ways.
Halle Berry considers Nahla to be a 'girly girl'
According to the old nursery rhyme, little girls are made of "sugar and spice and everything nice." At least, that's how they're socialized to be — sweet and agreeable, and maybe with a touch of attitude. And while the saying is an outdated stereotype, there are plenty of children who embody these personality traits. Some call them "girly girls" because they have an eye for traditionally feminine things like dresses, glitter, and nail polish. Reportedly, Nahla is a major "girly girl" — and she's been that way since she was a tiny tot.
In 2011, while promoting her line of signature fragrances, Halle Berry revealed that then-3-year-old Nahla was the brand's biggest fan. "She's a very girly girl," Berry confirmed to People. "I have four fragrances now," she added. "She tries them all out and likes them all. She'll definitely be a fragrance wearer ... I can tell."
The following year, Berry gushed about her daughter's interests to InStyle magazine. "Thank God she's very girly! She loves makeup and clothes and skincare stuff," raved the superstar. Although Berry is clearly supportive of Nahla's style, the actor still taught her kids to challenge gender stereotypes, such as the idea that some colors are strictly for girls. Speaking with a virtual panel in 2021, Berry said that it's up to parents to teach their children the value of acceptance. "If we want to have a future that's different, that is where it starts," she said (via The Mirror).
Nahla was at the center of an explosive custody battle
When Nahla was born, it seemed like Halle Berry and her boyfriend, Gabriel Aubry, would go the distance. However, the relationship soured and the pair called it quits when Nahla was 2 years old. Berry's publicist announced that she and Aubry were committed to remaining friends and co-parents, but the situation quickly devolved into a bitter custody battle (via ABC News).
According to Radar Online, startling allegations were hurled from both sides. Berry accused Aubry of verbal abuse, while a source allegedly claimed, "Halle has a particularly nasty temper, and she can be really controlling and vindictive." In 2012, Gabriel Aubry and Berry's new partner, Olivier Martinez, got into a physical altercation, which prompted both sides to seek protective orders against each other (via E News). Later that year, the former couple reached an agreement over custody of 4-year-old Nahla.
However, the custody war made headlines again in 2021, when it was reported that Halle Berry's child support payments to Gabriel Aubry had been reduced from $16,000 to $8,000 per month (via The Toronto Sun). The news came shortly after Berry blasted her ex online, calling the sky-high payments "wrong" and "extortion" (via Vanity Fair). Despite the nasty feud, Nahla's parents have joint custody of Nahla, and she appears to have a close relationship with both of them.
Nahla has spent much of her childhood out of the public eye
Halle Berry is a pro at respecting the privacy of her kids. Thanks to her mom's discretion, Nahla gets to enjoy childhood without being excessively ogled by the public. In 2016, Halle Berry posted an adorable Instagram picture of Nahla and her brother Maceo with their faces purposely cropped so only their smiles could be seen. One commenter criticized Berry for obscuring her children's faces — to which the superstar quickly fired back, writing, "I've noticed you have said this several times now so let me be clear — I'm not at all ashamed of [my] children. I try to find creative ways to incorporate them into my feed because they are the biggest part of my life, but I also work very hard to keep their identities as private as I can considering they are only children."
Sadly, it's not just Instagram trolls and paparazzi that have targeted the family. As The Huffington Post reports, Berry has also dealt with stalkers. In fact, the actor was so concerned for her daughter's safety that she considered leaving the country entirely. In 2012, Berry asked the court for permission to relocate to France with Nahla. The request was ultimately denied at the behest of Nahla's father, but Berry has not wavered from her protective ways.
Nahla's mom has fostered her independence
If Nahla Aubry eventually decides to lead a public life, Halle Berry wants to make sure that the youngster is able to do so on her own terms. In 2019, the actor told "Today" (via People), "I've fought really hard to protect [my children's] privacy, and I just want them to have their life and have it be theirs." Berry is committed to nurturing her daughter's independence in other ways, too. When Nahla was 4 years old, Berry revealed that the little girl was already choosing her own outfits.
When it comes to supporting Nahla's independence, Berry is leading by example. After making her directorial debut in the film "Bruised," the star told CBS 8 that she took on the role for Nahla and Maceo. Berry explained, "Having my children now is the reason I'm even directing because I have to keep going. I have to keep discovering more facets of who I am. I have to keep modeling for them someone who's alive and very involved in their career and as a woman, as a Black woman."
When the time comes for Nahla to spread her wings, her mother has no intention of holding her back. "I don't want to be the mom who's crying because her kids left. I want to be the mom who says, 'Yes, girl, go fly. Go do you, do your life,'" Halle Berry told InStyle.
She is being raised with a sense of pride for her biracial identity
Halle Berry has always been upfront about her experiences as a biracial woman. In a conversation with People, the Oscar-winner described being bullied and feeling less than at the all-white school that she attended as a child. Now a parent of two mixed-race children, it's clear that Berry wants Nahla to feel gorgeous and confident in her own skin.
In 2014, Berry accused Nahla's father, Gabriel Aubry, of highlighting and chemically straightening the child's hair. Berry was enraged by the move, which she saw as a deliberate attempt to minimize Nahla's biracial identity, Vogue reported. Ultimately, the court ruled that neither parent was permitted to change Nahla's hair (via Daily Mail).
Berry is doing everything she can to nurture Nahla's biracial pride, and she's hopeful that her daughter will not have to face the discrimination that she endured as a child. Back in 2017, the superstar told People, "I think my daughter, who is mixed race, might have issues as she grows with her race. But I feel like her generation, they're not making it such an issue like my generation was." In 2018, Berry shared an Instagram photo of Nahla's gorgeous curls cascading down her back. The actress wrote, "My little queen crowned in her curls."
She has helped children who are less fortunate
Being the child of a celebrity basically guarantees you a life of wealth and privilege. But thanks to her mother's charitable work with The World Food Programme, Nahla Aubry got some perspective about the realities of poverty. In 2015, the then-7-year-old joined her mother in Nicaragua to provide meals for hungry children. This work is significant because, according to the World Food Programme, 30% of Nicaragua's population lives in poverty. Nahla's experience in the Central American country inspired her to take action and give back even more. When she returned home, the youngster packed up some of her toys and mailed them to children in Nicaragua. Nahla's heartfelt gift included dolls and a bicycle, according to ABC News.
The kind-hearted kid didn't stop there. Nahla continued to raise funds for less fortunate children by setting up a lemonade stand in her neighborhood. In a speech at UCLA, Halle Berry reflected on her daughter's charitable endeavors. As she told the audience, "I'm so proud of her. It's important to teach your children about caring for children" (via People).
Nahla had a major hairtastrophe when she was a tween
A bad hair day can strike anyone, including the child of a celebrity. In summer 2020, Nahla's bad hair day turned into a bad hair era when her mom, Halle Berry, was forced to shave part of her head. Apparently, Nahla had enjoyed a few too many swims in the family pool, which caused tangles that even the strongest hairbrush couldn't defeat. In an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Berry dished about the debacle, saying, "So, every time I go to comb her hair, she's like, 'No, don't touch me. I can handle it. I'm a tween. I don't need you to brush my hair." Berry went on to admit that letting the then-12-year-old take charge of her own hair care routine probably wasn't the best move. She explained, "We're doing homework the other night and [Nahla] goes, 'Mom, I'm scared to tell you this, but, like, touch the back of my head. All her hair, which is, like, past her shoulders, has shrunken up into a tight ball that feels like matted fur."
After several minutes of battling the unruly knot, Berry realized there was only one thing left to do. As the actor told Fallon, "I had to shave it off. ... She was not cool with that, but it was our only option" It seems like Nahla has definitely bounced back from the hair fiasco, because her locks appear sleek and healthy in more recent photos.
She's fashionable like her mom and tall like her dad
In early 2022, Nahla Aubrey was seen walking arm-in-arm with her mom, Halle Berry. In preparation for starting high school, Nahla visited Cal State University to explore the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), the Daily Mail reported. Nahla's outfit struck a perfect balance of cozy and chic and leaned into a schoolgirl style. Embracing the faddish pop punk and Y2K aesthetics, the young star donned a pink and black plaid skirt and a pair of black knee-high socks. She paired the look with glossy black Mary Janes and a dark, bulky jacket. The cherry on top was Nahla's long hair, which featured pink highlights.
Eight months later, perhaps inspired by her daughter's fun hair, Halle Berry traded in her long tresses for an asymmetrical purple pixie cut (via Allure). Both Berry and Nahla certainly know how to pull off a bold hairstyle.
When Nahla was spotted visiting LACHSA, it also became apparent how much Berry and Gabriel Aubry's daughter had grown – she's already taller than her mom, who stands at 5 feet 5 inches. If she keeps growing, the teen could end up tall like her father, who clocks in at 6 feet 2 inches.
Nahla's mom wants her to 'embrace all of who she is'
With her mother's iconic Hollywood beauty and her father's fashion model looks, it's no wonder that Nahla Aubry is growing into a gorgeous young woman. It's likely that as Nahla gets older, she'll be able to relate to her mother's experiences even more. After all, Halle Berry's beauty has been the subject of an endless media frenzy — but the megastar is candid about the fact that being beautiful in Hollywood isn't all glitz and glamor. In a press conference held back in 2004, Berry admitted, "Being thought of as a beautiful woman has spared me nothing in life. No heartache, no trouble. Beauty is essentially meaningless and it is always transitory" (via People).
A decade later, in a conversation with Huffington Post, Berry opened up about how she hopes Nahla will approach beauty and identity as she grows up. She told the publication, "I want her to embrace all of who she is. I hope she will grow and decide for herself how she wants to define herself in the world. ... I want her to feel good about who she is, where she comes from, embrace her little curly hair and everything about her."
Halle Berry reminds her teen daughter to use her voice
In March 2022, Nahla celebrated her 14th birthday. Halle Berry marked the occasion with a heartfelt Instagram post that showed the mother and daughter strolling along the beach. In the caption, Berry gushed, "14 years ago, I was blessed to give birth to an "Earth Angel" and I named her Nahla Ariela! Humbled by your presence and overjoyed at the same time! Happy Birthday, Nahla boo!"
Fans and celebs alike poured into the comments to wish the teen a happy birthday. Nahla received birthday love from the Viola Davis and author Lalah Delia, among many others. With so much love and support in her life, there's no doubt that Nahla is destined for success.
No matter what the future holds for Nahla, though, her mom will be there to love and guide her. In 2021, Berry told Women's Health that she often reminds Nahla, "Use your voice. You have a right to be heard. You are loved and accepted just as you are. Only you define who you are."