Legal representatives for actress Halle Berry on Thursday vehemently dismissed child abuse allegations made by her former husband, Olivier Martinez, characterizing them as "meritless."
The dismissal from Berry's legal team followed the issuance of a temporary restraining order against the actress, granted to Martinez on Thursday.
Martinez is concurrently pursuing sole custody of their 12-year-old son, Maceo, asserting that Berry subjected the child to both physical and emotional abuse, according to court documents reviewed by various media outlets.
Allegations of Abuse
In the filed documents, Martinez contends that Berry inflicted "emotional and mental distress" upon him through the alleged "physical abuse of our minor child, Maceo." He further claims she "physically abused our son, Maceo, by jumping on him, putting her hands around his neck, and choking him."
Martinez's declaration specifies that while an incident on September 26, 2026, involving Berry allegedly choking their son, represents the most recent instance of abuse, he asserts that similar events have occurred over the past several years. These earlier alleged incidents, he claims, include further physical assaults against their son, alongside verbal and emotional mistreatment directed by Berry towards Martinez himself.
Berry's Legal Team Responds
A spokesperson for Berry released a statement regarding Martinez's filing:
In a way, today’s filing is not entirely unexpected from an individual with a well-documented history of erratic, possessive and violent behavior. Fortunately, Halle is used to this kind of outrageous conduct from Mr. Martinez and, while she is deeply saddened, she will not allow it to deter her from fighting for Maceo’s best interests and providing him with the love and support he needs.
Restraining Order and Custody Details
The conditions of the temporary restraining order mandate that Berry maintain a distance of 100 yards from Martinez. Furthermore, her access to Maceo is restricted to court-ordered visitations occurring two days per week and every other weekend, pending a scheduled hearing on October 16.
The estranged parents have also received orders to participate in confidential mediation concerning their son's custody.
Martinez’s detailed account of the alleged September 26 incident describes Berry entering their son's room, observing him wearing virtual reality goggles while engaged in a game, and then purportedly telling him he looked "so stupid." He further alleges that she then "jumped on him, attacked him and choked him and shouted, 'Who is dominant now?!'" Martinez asserts that Maceo contacted him following this event, reporting the alleged assault. He also noted that Berry's fiancé, Van Hunt, was present at their residence when the incident supposedly occurred.
The legal petition additionally requests that Berry refrain from being under the influence of substances and undergo sobriety testing before, during, and after any scheduled visits with their son.
Background on Divorce and Custody Arrangement
Berry and Martinez concluded their divorce proceedings in 2023, eight years subsequent to their initial separation.
Under the finalized divorce judgment, Berry bears responsibility for Maceo’s private school tuition, the entirety of his extracurricular activity costs, and his healthcare expenses.
The judgment also stipulates that Martinez is obligated to undertake "reasonable action" to secure employment and contribute financially toward Maceo’s upbringing.
The couple initially sought divorce in 2015, following two years of marriage.
Their existing custody agreement outlines a schedule where Maceo divides his time between both parents during the week and alternates weekends, with specific provisions for certain holidays. The 33-page judgment also permits one phone or video call with the non-present parent before bedtime, limited to a duration of under 15 minutes.
Furthermore, both Berry and Martinez are mandated to abstain from speaking negatively about each other in Maceo’s presence.
This recent petition for a restraining order emerges two years after Berry herself sought sole custody of Maceo. At that time, she cited Martinez’s "turbulent and detrimental behavior" regarding interventions for their son's educational and therapeutic requirements, which she claimed negatively affected Maceo's bond with her.
Berry is also a mother to 18-year-old Nahla Ariela Aubry, whom she shares with her former partner, Gabriel Aubry.
