Halle Berry's ex-husband accused her of abusing their son
Halle Berry’s ex-husband, actor Olivier Martinez, has accused her of physically abusing their 12-year-old son, Maceo. Following this, a Los Angeles court issued a temporary restraining order and modified Berry’s visitation schedule with the child. The actress denies the allegations, and her attorney called Martinez’s statement baseless and misleading.
Halle Berry’s ex-husband, French actor Olivier Martinez, filed a petition with the court alleging that the actress had physically abused their 12-year-old son, Maceo. Following this, on October 1, a Los Angeles County judge issued a temporary restraining order against Berry. It applies to Martinez and their son. However, the court did not completely prohibit the actress from seeing her child, but only temporarily modified the visitation schedule.
In his court documents, Martinez stated that Berry allegedly caused him “emotional and psychological distress due to physical abuse against our minor child, Maceo.” According to the actor, one such incident occurred on September 26. He claims that Berry allegedly lunged at their son, grabbed him by the neck, and began to choke him.
Martínez also stated that during the altercation, the actress allegedly shouted, “Who’s in charge now?! Who’s in charge?” These allegations are part of Martínez’s court filing and have not yet been established as proven facts. For this reason, the allegations in the case remain the position of only one party to the conflict. Martinez claims that this is allegedly not the first instance of physical aggression toward their son. He also accused Berry of verbal and emotional abuse toward him personally.
The actor asked the court to grant him sole legal and physical custody of Maceo. He also requested that restrictions be placed on Berry’s behavior during visits with their son. Specifically, Martinez requested that the actress’s sobriety be monitored before, during, and after visits with the child. However, the court declined to impose such a requirement at this stage, citing insufficient information.
At the same time, the court decided not to completely cut off Berry’s contact with her son. The ruling states that limited visitation should continue so as not to disrupt the bond between mother and child. Currently, Berry is allowed to see Maceo every Monday and Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. She is also permitted to visit him every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The temporary restraining order will remain in effect until the next court hearing, which is scheduled for October 16. At that time, the court will consider further restrictions and decide whether to keep them in place. Halle Berry’s attorney, Marina Beck, denied Martinez’s allegations. She stated that the petition he filed is baseless and intentionally misleading. “To call this petition completely baseless and intentionally misleading is putting it mildly,” the attorney said.
According to Beck, Berry denies the allegations and will continue to defend her son’s interests. “Fortunately, Holly is already accustomed to such outrageous behavior on Martinez’s part, and although she is deeply saddened, it will not prevent her from fighting for Maceo’s best interests and giving him the love and support he needs,” the attorney said.
Martinez’s defense team, for its part, stated that the main reason for his filing the petition is the child’s safety. The actor’s attorney, Patrick Baghdasserians, emphasized that Martinez wants, above all, to protect his son’s health and well-being. “His primary concern is the health, well-being, and safety of the minor child,” the attorney stated.
He also said that the second goal is to ensure Berry receives the necessary help. “Our second goal is for the mother to receive the proper help she needs to resolve her issues, as this will ultimately help the child as well,” added Martinez’s representative. This legal dispute is not the first issue between the former spouses. Berry and Martinez married in 2013, and in 2015, the actress filed for divorce. The divorce was not finalized until 2023, after eight years of legal battles.
At that time, the former spouses agreed to joint custody of Maceo. Berry was also ordered to pay Martinez $8,000 in child support each month. In addition, she must give him 4.3% of any income exceeding $2 million per year. In 2024, Berry and Martinez also underwent special parenting therapy to resolve issues regarding the joint upbringing of their son. According to PEOPLE, they had several joint sessions with a specialist.
The legal proceedings are currently ongoing. The temporary restrictions do not mean that the allegations against Martinez have already been proven. A final decision regarding the future custody and visitation arrangements for the child may be made after the next hearings, according to People.
