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Halle Berry Her 12-year-old son, Maceo, is facing a new legal challenge after her husband Olivier Martinez accused her of physically abusing the boy in an alleged incident on September 26.
The actress denied the allegations through her lawyer, who called Martinez’s filing “completely worthless and intentionally false”.
The legal dispute has added another chapter to Halle Berry and her husband’s long-running custody dispute, with insiders sharing details of their bitter breakup.
Halle Berry is reportedly devastated by her husband’s claims against her
According to the Daily Mailthe legal dispute between Berry and her husband, Martinez, in which he applied for a restraining order against the actress, is “sad” due to the negative information that is now circulating about the physical altercation he says with their son, Maceo.
“Halle is very saddened by the negative information that has come out about her; it’s a real low blow,” said a source close to the actress.
They also said that Berry “has been a great parent who is always there for her children and gives them an amazing life.”
The allegations against Berry about her fighting and “choking” her son have only added to the long-running dispute between Martinez and the actress since their divorce in 2015, which was finalized in 2023.
Berry was ordered to pay her $8,000 monthly in child support, along with covering their 12-year-old’s private school tuition, health insurance, and therapy. She also has to pay 4.3% of any annual income she earns over $2 million for the general maintenance of their son.
The actress feels she is just an ‘ATM’ to her husband and son and gets ‘no respect’ from them
In 2024, Berry filed for sole legal custody of Maceo, claiming Martinez was unfit to share custody with her because their son was reportedly struggling with his academics. She also accused him of using the child support she was paying for himself.
As for the financial situation, a second source close to the former couple told the news service that Berry “feels like she’s an ATM machine when she’s dealing with Maceo and Olivier,” noting that she “believes she’s not respected and that she’s just there to pay, pay, pay.”
However, the insider confirmed that Martinez sees things differently from his ex-wife, and blames her for being the cause of their problems.
“It’s so sad for Halle, but Olivier thinks it’s hers and that’s why they’re where they are – just completely spread out,” the source said. “The stress it causes is tremendous.”
Olivier Martinez accused Halle Berry of fighting and strangling their son
According to court documents obtained by the Daily MailMartinez said Berry physically confronted Maceo at her home while the boy was playing a virtual reality game.
He said Berry entered the room, scolded Maceo, and began pushing him before the situation became physical.
Martinez said Berry jumped on the child and began to “choke him”, shouting, “Who’s on top now?! Who’s stronger?”
Berry’s boyfriend, musician Van Hunt, was reportedly at home at the time and is said to have treated the 12-year-old “festival” after entering the room because of the boy’s “screaming”.
Hunt then helped Maceo pack his bag to leave the house, allegedly prompting Berry to let the child carry the clothes she had bought for him after she initially confronted him.
Halle Berry’s ex claims their son called him ‘Frantic’ after alleged corporal punishment Change
In court documents, Martinez said Maceo had said he was “frantic” after the alleged altercation with Berry, demanding to be picked up “right now.”
The French actor said he texted Berry telling her that Maceo had asked him to come pick him up, and she reportedly protested, saying, “No, I’m not okay with it. He wants to go against his mother? What kind of child are we raising.”
Martinez also said Berry told their son, “Good. Very good. I don’t want to see you anymore,” after Maceo said he planned to “go away forever.”
He said Maceo finally left the home with Hunt, who was carrying his clothes. The next morning, Berry reportedly texted Martinez, saying, “I feel terrible about what happened last night because I know he does too.”
Martinez has said that Maceo no longer wants to stay at Berry’s home and that the alleged incident may have affected him.
In his legal filing, Martinez also said the Sept. 26 incident was not an isolated confrontation, noting in court documents that similar physical incidents had occurred several times in the previous year and a half.
In one such case, Berry allegedly wrestled Maceo to the ground and made him “tap out”. According to Martinez, the actress saw the behavior as fun, although Maceo did not like the interaction.
Halle Camp Berry claims that Olivier Martinez is inspired by ‘Revenge‘
People close to the “Catwoman” star reportedly believe that Martinez’s lawsuit is driven less by concern for their son and more by holding revenge on his ex-wife.
“Olivier has been looking for ways to hurt Halle, and I feel like he’s using their son Maceo to do that,” a source told Daily Mailclaims that Martinez has been struggling to move past the end of their marriage.
“He never got over her leaving, and it’s like he’s been trying to make her look bad ever since,” the insider said.
Meanwhile, Berry’s lawyer, Marina Beck, dismissed Martinez’s claim as “absolutely worthless” and said the actress was “used to this kind of horrible behavior” from her husband.
With Martinez’s temporary restraining order now granted, the exes will go to trial on October 16. Berry and Martinez will testify as the court decides whether to make the order permanent.
Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez hate each other,’ Source Applications
The legal battle could become even more complicated next year, when their son, Maceo, turns 13. Daily Mail that the child will have more opportunity under California law to express which parent he wants to live with.
“In a year Maceo can tell a judge which parent he wants to live with under California law, so he has rights, and if he wants to use them he should,” the source said.
At the same time, another insider said that the former spouses were still very different, describing their relationship as a real strain.
“Olivier and Halle hate each other,” said the second source. “If they were asked to say something nice about each other, you probably wouldn’t be able to get them to say anything nice because they don’t like each other that much.”
“It’s more distant between them, and if it wasn’t for Maceo, they wouldn’t have anything to talk about,” the source said. “They have nothing good to say about each other, ever.”
