Halle Berry
Growing up in Oakwood, Ohio, actress Halle Berry was the ultimate girl next door. She worked at a famous Ohio department store – Higbee’s – and was a cheerleader, an honors student and a prom queen – the most desired title in high school. Before she embarked on her acting career, it seemed safe to assume that Berry was on her way to a very successful career as a model.
During her college years, Berry entered several beauty pageants, winning Miss Teen All American and Miss Ohio USA, and was the runner up of Miss USA. At this point, Berry already knew she wanted to become some sort of entertainer or otherwise work in the media. She moved to New York to promote her career as a model, and she spent her first weeks in the Big Apple sleeping in homeless shelters and the YMCA.