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"When an opportunity comes your way, it's about making sure you're prepared to be the one who can walk through the door and deliver the goods. And I've had a lot of luck on my side and I've been prepared for that luck." Halle Berry's road to success was not an easy one, but through talent, commitment, perseverance and preparation, the actress has become one of Hollywood's most celebrated and sought-after stars.

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Renowned for her timeless beauty, the former Miss Teen America and Miss Ohio USA set her sights on becoming an actress and never looked back. While there were some struggles along the way, her dedication paid off -- and then some. Here's a closer look at Halle Berry's inspiring journey.

From Struggle to Stardom

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Halle Berry was born on August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio. Her mother was a psychiatric nurse of English-German descent, while her hospital attendant father was African American. She also had an older sister, Heidi. 

Berry's father left when she was four, and her mom relocated the family to the suburbs to get away from the violence of their inner-city neighborhood. Unfortunately, there were different problems waiting there, and Berry was bullied because of her skin color. She told People, "Because my mother was white and my father was black… we got called Oreos and names, and kids just didn't understand, so we were different. We were the brunt of a lot of jokes. So, I think my need to please and my desire to achieve was because I was constantly trying to prove that I was as good as the other white students. I felt very 'less than,' and I thought, 'If I can beat them at everything, then I can be as good as them.'"

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Indeed, the situation at school spurred Berry to work harder. Not only was she an honor student, but she was also a cheerleader, editor of the newspaper, class president, school mascot and prom queen.  

Berry began attending community college with the goal of becoming a broadcast journalist. However, after winning two beauty pageants in the mid-80s, she decided to become a fashion model instead. Berry soon followed her dreams to New York City. Like so many other aspiring actresses, she struggled to get jobs, and was even briefly homeless. 

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Berry situation may have seemed grim, but Berry kept her chin up and was rewarded for her optimism with a role on the television series Living Dolls. This, in turn, led to her first big break: a small part in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever in 1991. Larger roles quickly came her way in movies including Executive Decision, Boomerang, The Flintstones, Alex Haley's Queen, Losing Isaiah, Bulworth, and BAPS. 

Finding Critical and Commercial Success

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While Berry was by then a well-known popular actress, critical acclaim had largely escaped her. That changed forever with her portrayal of Dorothy Dandridge in the 1999 television movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, for which Berry won Golden Globe and Emmy Best Actress awards. 

She followed up this critically acclaimed movie with a commercial sure bet:  the role of Storm in the blockbuster film, X-Men. Said Berry of her efforts to balance the two, "There's art and there's commerce. You have to find a way to mesh the two. It's important to do the little movies just for the love of the art. But it's those big movies that take you around the world and make you globally famous."

Berry's rise to stardom wasn't done yet. 2001 saw yet another career high for the actress when she was cast in the drama Monster's Ball. Hailed as "the role of a lifetime," Berry's portrayal of grieving mother Leticia Musgrove led to her becoming the first  -- and only, to date -- African American to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards. An even further testament to the pay-offs of persistence? She only got the role after Angela Bassett and Vanessa Williams turned it down. Berry's Oscar speech also earned rave reviews. "This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll. It's for the women that stand beside me, Jada Pinkett Smith, Angela Bassett, Vivica A. Fox... and it's for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance, because the door tonight has been opened," she said. 

Since Monster's Ball, Berry has appeared in many other films, including  Catwoman, Gothica, Robots, Perfect Stranger, The Call, Kidnap, Die Another Day, Cloud Atlas, New Year's Eve, Kings,  and John Wick: Chapter 3 -- Parabellum. One noteworthy bit of trivia about Barry's film career? She has appeared in six movies with Hugh Jackman, including X-Men, Swordfish, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, Movie 43, and X-Men: Days of Future Past. 

Barry received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. In addition to being lauded for her acting talents, Berry is also recognized for her extraordinary beauty.  She's a global brand ambassador for Revlon, and has been named one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" on multiple occasions. Her name is also often included on roundups of the "hottest" and "sexiest" celebs by the likes of FHM magazine, Maxim magazine, and BET.

After the many ups and downs of her personal and professional life, it's not surprising that Berry tries not to take things too seriously. When  Catwoman turned into a well-publicized flop, she became the first actress to show up in person to accept her Razzie Award for Worst Actress. Her speech while collecting the award? "Thank you and I hope to God I never see you guys again."

Berry has also applied her trademark work ethic to establishing an entrepreneurial career. In addition to running her own media company, she's ventured outside of the entertainment business with fragrance and lingerie lines. "There have been so many people who have said to me, 'You can't do that,' but I've had an innate belief that they were wrong. Be unwavering and relentless in your approach," she advises.

Berry prioritizes giving back, and is known for her domestic violence activism. She's also hoping to make a difference in the industry. "We need more people of color writing, directing, producing, not just starring. We have to start telling stories that include us. And when stories don't include us, we have to start asking, 'why can't that be a person of color? Why can't that white male character be a black woman?' Why can't it? We have to start pushing the envelope and asking these questions," she asserted.  

Which brings us to another of Berry's goals. She continued, "I want to be the next Spike Lee. I want to help other black folks to get into Hollywood and be successful in Hollywood."