Halle Berry says directing 'Bruised' was 'one of hardest things I've ever done'

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry moved into the director's chair for the first time for new drama "Bruised," a film she also stars in as a washed-up mixed martial arts fighter who attempts to revive her career.

Berry said it took her years to get the movie to the screen, and she undertook intense physical training of up to five hours a day to prepare for fight scenes. The film is currently playing in a limited number of theaters and will be released on Netflix.

"I knew that I would spend more time, more energy, more hours working on something than I'd ever worked on in my entire career," she said in an interview with Reuters. "It proved to be true. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done."

British actress Sheila Atim, who co-stars as the trainer of Berry's character, said "Bruised" is about finding yourself.