Hollywood actress Halle Berry believes that her father's violent behaviour has left an indelible mark on her life. The Monster's Ball star was among those being honoured at the Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment early-morning breakfast gala and she chose to bring up a painful part of her past while accepting the award.

"My father was a very abusive, very violent alcoholic and he left an indelible scar on my life, on my childhood," Berry said.

"When a young girl watches her mother be beaten and kicked down the steps and stabbed and punched in the face, not only do you feel a sense of fear but you too feel a sense of worthlessness," she added.

However, the Oscar-award-winning actress also showered praises on a former teacher who helped her overcome her violent upbringing.

"She saw in me the need to feel valued and to feel loved and to feel I was worth it," Berry said.

Apart from the 43-year-old actress, other Hollywood A-listers named to the Power 100 Women in Entertainment at the gala included Hilary Swank and Eva Longoria-Parker.