Halle Berry reacts to rumors she had sex with ‘Monster’s Ball’ co-star Billy Bob Thornton

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Halle Berry just cleared up a monster rumor.

The 58-year-old actress appeared on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast Monday and denied that she had sex with Billy Bob Thornton when they were filming the 2001 romantic drama “Monster’s Ball.”

“We had this very explicit love scene,” said Berry, whose performance led to her being the first black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress

Billy Bob Thornton at the 2024 CMT Music Awards

In “Monster’s Ball,” Berry plays grieving widow Leticia Musgrove, who strikes up a romance with corrections officer Hank Grotowski (Thornton). Unbeknownst to them, Hank assisted in executing the man Leticia was married to.

Leticia and Hank connect over their traumas. They go out to dinner and then get drunk at Leticia’s house which leads to them having sex. The raunchy scene is one of the most memorable parts of the film.

On the podcast, Berry complained that her and Thornton’s explicit sex scene caused them to be romantically linked in real life.

Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in "Monster's Ball"
Berry and Thornton in “Monster’s Ball.”Lionsgate
Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in "Monster's Ball"Berry and Thornton in “Monster’s Ball.”Lionsgate

“You can’t just be a good actor, and you can’t just make that s–t look real,” Berry said.

The “X-Men” actress also pointed out that Thornton, 69, was married to Angelina Jolie at the time.

“He had a wife, so, you know, all respect,” Berry said. “I know Angie and she ain’t signing off on that s–t. I’m a girls girl. I’ll do a lot of things, but I’m not gonna sleep with your man.”

Angelina Jolie and Thornton at the “Bandits” premiere in 2001.Corbis via Getty Images
Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie in Studio City, Calif. in 2000
Thornton and Jolie in Studio City, Calif., in 2000.Getty Images
Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton at the 2002 Golden Globe Awards
Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton at the 2002 Golden Globe Awards.AP

Thornton has also spoken out about the rumor that he and Berry did it.

“No we’re actors. We do the job that we’re required to do, and we were both very professional about it,” he said on “Sway in the Morning” in 2012, when asked to “dispel the myth” about himself and Berry’s sex scene being real.

Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thornton in “Monster’s Ball.”AP Photo

“It’s not like you can’t dream though,” Thornton also said with a laugh.

Billy Bob Thornton in Los Angeles on September 21, 2021
Thornton in Los Angeles in 2021.GC Images

On “Armchair Expert,” Berry also took the opportunity to shut down other rumors about the history of her love life.

“I didn’t date Spike Lee or Eddie Murphy,” she said. “Those are rumors too.”

Additionally, the “Bruised” star mentioned how pro wrestler Ric Flair falsely claimed that they had sex in 1997.

“They gotta link you to somebody. I’ve been married enough times,” the three-time divorcée said. “You don’t need to add on other things to me that have not happened. Just pick from the ones that are there.”

Halle Berry in Los Angeles on September 23, 2024
Berry in Los Angeles in September.GC Images

Halle Berry at the "Never Let Go" premiere on September 16