Halle Berry is getting all the recognition she deserves. The actress will be accepting The People‘s Icon Award at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards this week and today she accepted the Career Achievement Award at the 4th Annual Celebration of Black Cinema & Television event where she made a moving speech with a special dedication to her boyfriend Van Hunt, per E! Online. 

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Berry received a standing ovation and held back tears as she reflected on often being alone when she started in Hollywood 30 years ago. “When I started 30 years ago, there weren‘t rooms like this where I could go and feel affirmed or esteemed. I was often alone,“ she said. ”I was only one of the few Black people in the room searching to find my value, searching to find my worth, feel accomplished.“

Berry stars in and directs Bruised which was released in November. “For 30 years later to be standing here, not just as an actor, but now a director, remaining authentic and true to myself and doing it on my own terms is probably one of the greatest joys of my life and I‘m so happy to share this with all of you.” She went on to explain how she “finally found love.”

“You know, I finally found love this year everybody. I know you all have been on this painful journey with me!“ she quipped. ”You‘ve watched me fail and fail and fail and fail. Besides directing my first movie, I also found the love of my life and I know it’s true and this is how I know it‘s true. Because you fail so many times, you know what wrong looks like. And because I failed so many times, I now know what [love] really looks like.”

Berry even had a special message for Hunt who was sitting in the audience. “You have completed me. You have supported me,” she said. “I‘ve never had that, somebody who just lifted me higher, made me more of myself. Berry confirmed her relationship with Hunt in September of last year.