When anyone thinks “Hollywood legend,” one name surely comes to mind pretty quickly: Halle Berry. The Academy Award-winning actress has been gracing the big screen since Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever in 1991, and she continues to absolutely stun in every role she takes on. The actress and mother of two also knows how to have fun with social media and, occasionally, shares some sweet moments from her personal life.
Berry’s even been sharing intimate photos from her relationship with her boyfriend, Van Hunt. On May 15, 2021, she shared this photo of the two of them sharing a kiss with the caption, “we do this thing called whatever the fuck we want! 💋”
He was her date at the 2021 Oscars, where they looked like this:
She first started sharing hints about her budding relationship in August 2020, posting a cryptic photo of herself playing footsie with a mysterious man. Then, fans weren’t sure of the identity of the person she was waking up with in Vegas.
“Waking up Vegas! ☀️,” she wrote. “Thank you for all the beautiful birthday wishes from my friends and my very supportive and loyal fans! You ALL helped to make my birthday extra special ♥️.”
She announced his identity in September 2020 when she wore a shirt with the name “Van Hunt” on the front.
“now ya know… ♥️🦶🏽,” she wrote.
A source told Us Weekly at the time that since the two got together last year, things have really taken off.
“She’s had some negative experiences [with men] but Van has taught her to love again — and love herself,” the insider added. “He’s a wonderful, caring man. Their chemistry is through the roof.”
In October 2024, Berry raved about Hunt being the first partner she has been with for over three years. “We celebrated when we hit four years like we had been married 20 years, that’s how big it was for me personally,” she told Dax Shepard on his Armchair Expert podcast.
Who, exactly, is this man who has Berry professing her love all over social media and now been with for years?
He’s an Ohio native.
Per Last.fm., Hunt was born in March 1970 (making him 54 years old) and was raised by a single mother in Dayton, Ohio. His father was a factory worker and a friend of Ohio Players drummer Jimmy “Diamond” Williams. Hunt started playing drums at age 7 and the saxophone at 8. Then, he picked up bass and the keyboard and played guitar in a rock band called Royalty.
He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta before leaving to start his music career.
He is a Grammy-winning artist.
Hunt, who is technically named Van Hunt Jr. (he is named after his grandfather) was s nominated for the Best Urban/Alternative Artist at the Grammys in 2006, and he took home a Grammy the next year for a song with John Legend, Joss Stone, and Nikki Costa for R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. It was a cover of a song called “Family Affair” by Sly and the Family Stone.
He reunited with his band this year for the first time in 1o years:
He’s a dad.
Like Berry, Hunt is fairly private about his personal life, but he does have one teenage son named Drake, who appears to be pretty musically talented himself. Earlier this year, he shared that the two had performed together:
“that one time i got to sing w/my kid0. we performed ‘Bring It On Home to Me’ by Sam Cooke (Lou Rawls on background vocals). after havn the nerve 2 ask me if he could sing the Sam Cooke part and receiving the evil eye, he proceeded to sing the Lou Rawls part AS IF IT WERE the lead part. he stole the show from his ol’ man and never gave it back ;-)”
And, of course, he really loves his girlfriend.
They’ve walked the red carpet together.
In the past few years, as they’ve gotten more serious, the couple have been seen on a lot more red carpets and always dressed to impress.
At the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Opening Gala on Sept. 25, 2021 in Los Angeles:
A month later, he was her date to the 27th Annual ELLE Women in Hollywood Celebration:
And at the 2021 AFI Fest: Official Screening of her movie Bruised at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres:
They were at the 4th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema and Television:
In 2022, they were still showing up and showing out at the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards:
And then the the 95th Annual Academy Awards in 2023.
At the end of the year, they were together for the closing night of the Red Sea International Film Festival.
The couple was still going strong in early 2024.
On Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, Berry and Hunt were seen in Brentwood, sharing a gray umbrella in the rainy weather. Berry was warm in a black jacket with jeans and leather boots with tall heels. Hunt was in a yellow hooded rain coat, black pants, and a crossbody black bag. They appeared to be having a sweet convo under the rain apparel.
Berry gushed over how well Hunt treats her in February 2024.
Berry shared a post with relationship advice, captioning it, “I was decidedly single for 4 years before I found @vanhunt, and this was exactly my thinking! Took me 30 years to get this but better late than never!”
She wished him a happy birthday in March 2024 with sweet Instagram tribute.
Sharing a carousel of photos with her boyfriend and of him solo, Berry wrote on Instagram, “Don’t count your candles baby, just enjoy the beautiful glow! Happy Birthday with ya fine ass.”
Berry said that Hunt was her longest relationship ever in October 2024.
Berry spoke on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast after how transformative her relationship with Hunt has been. “This is the longest relationship I’ve ever been in in my whole life,” she said, per Us Weekly. “I can’t get past three years. We celebrated when we hit four years like we had been married 20 years, that’s how big it was for me personally.”
As the three-year mark approached, “we both were scared,” she recalled. “He was waiting for the shoe to drop, and I was waiting to drop the fucking shoe. Because I just can’t get past that. It’s been such a relief, like, ‘OK, yes, I can do this relationship thing.’” She said Hunt was her person: “[He’s] calm and he’s what I’ve been dreaming of, searching for, needing.”
Unlike previous relationships, she wasn’t chasing after love. “I thought, ‘I could not do this. I didn’t want it,’” she recalled. “I was gonna live alone, be single forever, just raise my kids, do my job, and then he came when I wasn’t trying to manipulate it, I wasn’t trying to make it happen. He just showed up. … He was chosen for me.”
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