Actress Halle Berry joins star Keanu Reeves in the third installment of the John Wick action film franchise, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum , which hits the silver screen in mid-May. The 52-year-old beauty has been talking to the press about her role as Sofia, an assassin friend of the title character, and revealed that she sustained an injury while rehearsing for her big role.
Last week, the Academy Award-winner, who was suffering from laryngitis, told Extra that she broke three ribs while practicing some intricate stunts — and continued to work despite the pain.
“It’s like a badge of honor for me. I don’t know how it happened really,” Berry explained.
“I worked for a little while with broken ribs until I just could no longer do it.”
The Cleveland, Ohio-native worried that director Chad Stahelski would want to replace her in the movie with another actress while she spent time healing. However, he waited for her to recuperate, pushing production back a bit.
“When I came back, I actually felt better,” Berry gladly stated.
As for starring alongside veteran actor Reeves for the first time, she called it “pretty amazing,” and said that she worked extra hard during the fight scenes in order not to “disappoint him.” Berry’s preparation for the intense scenes included stunt, strength, gun, and dog training, and watching what she ate.
Opening on Friday, May 17, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum picks up where 2017’s John Wick: Chapter 2 left off. In the flick, hitman Wick is being chased by bounty hunters hoping to kill him in return for a $14 million prize after he offed a member of the High Table, a shadowy international assassin’s guild.
In addition to Reeves and Berry, the movie also stars Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston, Mark Dacascos, Robin Lord Taylor, and Asia Kate Dillion.
Meanwhile, Berry is already working on her next movie, Bruised . According to Deadline , not only will she be starring in and producing the film, she will also be making her directorial debut. The movie follows disgraced MMA fighter Jackie “Justice,” who has to conquer personal demons and learn to be a good mother to the 6-year-old son that she previously walked away from. She will re-team with John Wick’ s fight choreographers for Bruised .
Berry told Extra that after training so hard for John Wick 3 , she knew she was capable of taking on the tough role of an MMA fighter.
“I just hope I don’t lose my teeth. I really like my teeth,” she joked.