Actress Halle Berry indicated that California Gov. Gavin Newsom will not be receiving her support if he runs for president in 2028, given his recent veto of legislation that she supports.
Berry, founder of the menopause care company Respin, called out Newsom’s decision to veto AB 432, the Menopause Care Equity Act, in October.
“The bill aimed to mandate comprehensive health insurance coverage for menopause and perimenopause symptoms, require physicians to complete menopause-specific continuing medical education and direct the state’s medical board to develop a menopause-specific curriculum,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Speaking at The New York Times Dealbook Summit on Wednesday, Berry said, “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.”
“But that’s okay, because he’s not going to be governor forever. And the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either. Just saying,” she added, drawing some verbal reaction of apparent surprise from the crowd.
Actress Halle Berry slammed Gov. Newsom for ‘overlooking’ and ‘devaluing’ half the population by vetoing a menopause bill she backed—twice:
“That’s okay, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and the way he has overlooked women—half the population—by devaluing us, he… pic.twitter.com/12S9tGm7uQ
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) December 4, 2025
“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 also stated, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Berry also addressed the culture’s proclivity to favor younger women.
“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. 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,” she said.
“We’re encouraged to contort our bodies and our faces in truly extreme ways to chase this elusive fountain of youth,” Berry continued. “And sadly, I have to admit, I too, feel this pressure every single day. I feel that pressure to change myself in order to stay seen as relevant and desirable.”
While introducing AB 432 in February, California Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan said in a news release, “Women are half the population, and yet our healthcare system fails to provide us with the care we need as we age.”
“This legislation closes the care gap, ensuring that menopause is treated as the critical health issue it is — not as an afterthought. We deserve comprehensive coverage and informed medical care, just like any other stage of life,” she added.
Berry also commended Bauer-Kahan for her work raising awareness about the issue.
“I am thrilled to support Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan’s vital legislation, the Menopause Care Equity Act, to finally address the significant inequities in menopause healthcare that women face,” Berry said in the lawmaker’s news release at the time.
“We have been underserved for far too long. I look forward to working together this year to ensure it gets signed into law,” she added.
Newsom explained his decision to veto AB 432, saying in an Oct. 13 statement to state legislators that its mandate was too expansive and would have “unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women and working families.”
“The Legislature has twice now sent me a bill that does not strike the important, and achievable, balance between expanding access to this essential treatment and the affordability of care. This is especially important as consumers are facing double-digit rate increases in their health care premiums across the nation,” Newsom said.
CNN data analyst Harry Enten said in August that the governor is the current frontrunner in the 2028 Democratic presidential field, with 20 percent support.
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