Halle Berry reflects on ex-husband cheating as she praises Gayle King: 'Stays with you forever'

Wesley StenzelFri, May 29, 2026 at 6:57 PM UTC

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Halle Berry in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2026; Gayle King in New York City on Feb. 4, 2026
Credit: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic; John Nacion/Variety via GettyKey Points -

Halle Berry said that she "thinks we should talk about" being cheated on, and said she's "proud" of Gayle King for initiating a conversation about the topic.

The actress added, "Because it has happened to many of us" while gesturing to herself.

Berry reflected on her ex-husband, Eric Benét, cheating on her during her marriage: "You remember every detail."

Halle Berry is remembering a cheating scandal that disrupted her marriage.

The Monster's Ball actress appeared on Today With Jenna & Sheinelle on Thursday, where she discussed Gayle King's recent revelation that she discovered her ex-husband, William Bumpus, cheating on her with a friend during their marriage.

"It's taking your power back, and I think we should talk about it. Absolutely," Berry said. "And I'm proud of her for saying that and sharing this that happened."

She then gestured to herself and said, "Because it has happened to many of us."

Eric Benét and Halle Berry in New York City in 2001
Credit: Bill Davila/FilmMagic

Berry then discussed her reaction to finding out that her ex-husband, Eric Benét, was cheating on her during their marriage in the early 2000s. (Benét admitted to cheating on Berry and checked into a sex addict rehab program in 2002.)

"You remember every detail of the whole situation, and it stays with you forever," the X-Men actress said. "So when you can share it, somehow that's therapeutic. It's a catharsis when you can really share it, and someone else can say what their experience has been. So I appreciate her."

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Berry also said that she "couldn't hide" from the reality of the situation because it was "all over the news" at the time. "I didn't talk about it necessarily very publicly, but I did talk about it," she said. "I did not carry the shame. I talked about it with my friends, I talked about it with other women."

She continued, "There were children involved, I didn't go on a public rampage about things, but I did talk about it, and it was very, very helpful. I needed that."

King made headlines when she appeared on Call Her Daddy on Wednesday and recalled how she "came home and caught" Bumpus cheating on her with a friend in 1990. She remembered telling the woman, "'I can't believe that you are here and that you are doing this. I can't believe that you are doing this.' And I even said, 'I thought we were friends!' It sounded so pitiful."

Halle Berry in New York City on Feb. 3, 2026
Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Bumpus publicly apologized for his actions in a statement to TMZ. "My deepest apologies to Gayle, to our daughter Kirby and her husband, Virgil, to our son William and his wife, Elise, and to our three grandchildren, for the pain I caused decades ago," he said. "Those actions were mine."

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King said that she didn't expect Bumpus to publicly acknowledge the incident. "I did not know he was going to do it," she told TMZ of the apology on Thursday. "When I got up this morning and read it, I was very, very surprised. He didn't say anything to me about it, but I'm very appreciative."

on Entertainment Weekly

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