When Halle Berry started filming her role as Jinx, she was already considered an actress of considerable talent and versatility. When she won the Best Actress Oscar® for her role in Monster's Ball, however, she entered an entirely new realm. When asked how she feels about being in a Bond film immediately after receiving the Academy Award®, her reply was immediate and to the point. "I think it adds luster to the gold," she says. "I enjoy being a Bond Girl!"

When she returned to the Die Another Day set with her Oscar®, Berry felt an overwhelming amount of support from the cast and crew. "Everybody had so much joy for me - Pierce especially - and it made me feel so proud. Then it was back to work," she laughs. "Okay, you won, great, now let's shoot this."

Throughout her career, Berry has worked to maintain a varied resume, enjoying the opportunity to mix dramatic roles with action-oriented parts. "My aim has always been to have a well-rounded career," she says. "Die Another Day complements movies like Monster's Ball quite nicely. That's how I want my career to evolve."

Just as Bond finds himself in an entirely new situation, Jinx is a new kind of Bond girl. Berry found playing Jinx an exciting challenge. "I like Jinx," she says. "She's really strong, and I like the fact she's the next step in the evolution of the Bond woman. Year after year they've gotten a little stronger, a little smarter, and more equally yoked with Bond, while still retaining their sexiness. Now they're Bond's intellectual equals and physical rivals - and Jinx is one more step in that evolution.

"Jinx is really sexy," Berry continues. "Super feminine, very witty, as quick as Bond with the comeback lines and as tough as nails. That's the most empowered woman to me - someone who can be sexy and tough at the same time. Jinx has many layers to her character and they've been enormous fun to play around with."

Berry found Lee Tamahori to be the perfect director to bring Die Another Day to the screen. "He's bringing a certain edge to it, making it tough," she says. "It's a Bond film, so some of the ingredients have to be there - cars, gadgets, women - but he's adding a modern quality to it."

Berry was also thrilled to get to work so closely with Pierce Brosnan. "Working with Pierce is wonderful," she says. "He wears Bond like an old shoe, and wears it well. He's so sure of himself within the character. That dynamic is really comforting. He's always there with a lot of support."

Jinx spends a lot of time dodging pursuers and attacking villains, but the role also has plenty of glamour. "I was more at home in Jinx's fashion gowns," she laughs. "The army fatigues and combats were a bit difficult; you have to wear them believably and not look uncomfortable. The gowns were the easy part."

As for her action sequences, "I was comfortable with most of them," she says. "Knife combat, gun play, propelling off wires - I was able to do all that and look professional. But there was one stunt that nearly beat me.

"Pierce and I had to run alongside a moving plane before hauling ourselves up into the wheel bay," she continues. "It was only going about 15 mph and I was sure I could cope with that. But you don't realize how fast that is when you're trying to catch a moving plane. By the fourth or fifth take, I was exhausted. Pierce, of course, did it effortlessly, but even though my legs were running, I was going nowhere.

"Editing will save me," she laughs.

PREVIOUS PAGE - BROSNAN ON BOND || NEXT PAGE - BOND BAD GUY