Halle Berry is not holding back when it comes to her criticism of California Governor Gavin Newsom during her appearance at The New York Times Dealbook Summit on Wednesday.

What did Halle Berry say about Gavin Newsom?

During her speech at the Dealbook Summit, Berry criticized Newsom for seemingly disregarding women’s rights. Berry, who founded Respin, a menopause care company, said Newsom vetoed an important bill.

“Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one, but two years in a row,” Berry said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “But that’s OK, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us, he probably should not be our next president either. Just saying.”

The vetoed bill, according to Berry, aimed to strengthen research and education surrounding women’s health.

“In 2025, there is a lot to still be talked about and discovered and uncovered, especially if you are a woman who is navigating midlife and thoughtfully considering your longevity, because in 2025, I, Halle Berry, and women of my age are simply devalued in this country,” Berry said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In November, Berry co-authored an essay for Time in which she slammed Newsom for shutting down the Menopause Care Equity Act. She also praised other states like Illinois for prioritizing women’s health.

“Starting in Jan. 2026, health insurance plans must cover all FDA-approved hormonal and non-hormonal menopause treatments,” Berry wrote. “And this is only the beginning of a larger vision to ensure that Illinois becomes the best state in the nation for women and girls at every stage of life.”

In her speech in New York, Berry made it clear that she is not afraid to speak up for women.

“At this stage in my life, I have zero f**ks left to give,” the mother of two said.

“Our culture thinks that at 59 years old, I am past my prime, and that women my age start to become invisible in Hollywood, in the workplace, on social media,” Berry added. “Women are pressured to stay forever 35. We’re complimented if we seem to be aging backwards or defying gravity, as if that’s even possible, and if we somehow manage to look younger than our years, it’s suggested that’s the gold standard that our worth should be measured by.”

Halle Berry opened up about getting bullied as a child

Berry told the crowd in New York that she was bullied when she was growing up in Cleveland. The Oscar-winning actress said there was a time when kids abused her as she got off the school bus.

“I was humiliated, because I had allowed myself to be treated this way. I made the choice to accept it,” she said. “I didn’t tell anybody. When they told me they were going to beat the s**t out of me, I just said, OK, I deserve it. I guess I’m just going to take it. I have no choice.”

One day, after she was walking home after getting beat up, Berry said she promised herself that she would always stand up for herself from that point on.

“I’m never not going to stand up for myself,” she said. “I’ll never allow myself to be a victim like that, and since I was in the sixth grade, I have never allowed myself to be misused or abused or mistreated in any way.”