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Halle Berry used her time on stage at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to spotlight women’s health — and sharply criticize California Gov. Gavin Newsom for blocking a bill aimed at supporting menopausal care for women for the second year in a row.

Speaking candidly about women’s health, aging, and her wellness company Respin Health, the 59-year-old star turned her focus to Newsom, 58, who was scheduled to appear just two guests after her. In October, Newsom again vetoed the Menopause Care Equity Act (AB 432), a proposal Berry has supported that would have expanded access to medical treatment for menopause symptoms, according to Politico Pro.

“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,” Berry said.

“But that’s okay, because he’s not going to be governor forever, and with the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either,” she continued, prompting an audible reaction from the audience. “Just saying.”

Berry’s remarks came after she noted that Illinois had recently become the first state to require coverage for hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

In response to Berry’s criticism, a spokesperson for Newsom said in a statement, “The governor has deep admiration for Ms. Berry’s advocacy and looks forward to working with her and other stakeholders on this critical issue. He shares her goal of expanding access to menopause care that too many women struggle to get.”

“He vetoed the bill because, as written, it would have unintentionally raised health care costs for millions of working women already stretched thin — something he’s determined to avoid,” the spokesperson added.

“We’re confident that by working together this year, we can expand access to essential menopause treatment while protecting women from higher bills,” the statement continued.

Newsom’s current term ends in January 2027, and term limits prevent him from running again. In October, he told CBS News Sunday Morning that he will decide whether to launch a presidential bid after the 2026 midterm elections.

Elsewhere in her talk, Berry urged women to rethink how they approach aging and health. “The days of outliving men by doing it in poor health are over,” she said. “Why? Because we simply deserve better.”

“At this stage in my life, I have zero f—- left to give,” she added.

Explaining why she wanted to speak at the summit, Berry said, “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.”

“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,” she continued. “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, we’re suggesting that that’s the gold standard that our worth should be measured by.”

She went on, “We’re encouraged to contort our bodies and our faces in truly extreme ways to chase this elusive fountain of youth. 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, relevant and desirable.”

“The question is for whom? … I don’t know, but what I do know is as long as I let my worth be defined by my physical self, I am in a losing battle. Because the truth is, we cannot turn back Father Time. And guess what? We shouldn’t have to,” Berry said.

Berry has previously described how her own difficult and confusing entry into menopause — and not being properly informed about what to expect — ultimately inspired her to launch Respin Health.

During a panel at a Bare It All event in June, the Oscar winner told moderator Tamsen Fadal, “I had no idea that I was in menopause at this time of my life.”

“I was 54 years old, no doctor that I had had even mentioned the fact that I would enter into menopause. So I had this unrealistic idea that maybe I would — okay, don’t laugh — but maybe I would just skip it,” Berry admitted.