OLIVIER MARTINEZ AND HALLE BERRY: THEIR CUSTODY BATTLE GROWS INCREASINGLY CONTENTIOUS

Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez are once again back in court, years after their marriage came to an end. This time, the focus is no longer on their divorce but on custody of their son, Maceo, as the former couple makes serious and completely conflicting allegations against one another. On October 1, 2026, Martinez filed for a domestic violence restraining order against his ex-wife, accusing Berry of abusing their son in an incident that allegedly took place in late September. He also asked to be awarded sole custody. Berry has denied all of the allegations and insisted that she has never harmed her son. The case quickly attracted attention because both parents are high-profile stars, while Maceo has become the center of a custody dispute that has continued for years.

According to the court filing submitted by Martinez, he accused Berry of choking Maceo during an argument on September 26, 2026. Martinez described the incident as the latest in a series of disagreements that he claims have taken place over the years. The French actor also made allegations about racially charged remarks that he claimed Berry had directed at their son in the past. Martinez stressed that he did not want to completely sever Maceo’s relationship with his mother. Instead, he asked that mother and son temporarily remain apart until Berry, in his words, takes sufficient accountability for what happened. He also asked the court to consider drug and alcohol testing for Berry, but that request was later denied because the court found there was not enough information to impose such a measure.

A Los Angeles judge issued a temporary restraining order at Martinez’s request. Under the ruling, Berry must remain 100 yards away from her ex-husband, while her visitation time with Maceo has also been reduced. However, notably, the court did not completely cut off contact between Berry and her son. Several other requests made by Martinez, including sobriety monitoring for Berry, were also rejected at this stage for lack of sufficient grounds. That means the current ruling is only temporary, while the custody dispute itself remains unresolved. The former couple is expected to return to court on October 16, when a judge will consider the next steps regarding the existing restraining order.

Berry did not remain silent in the face of her ex-husband’s allegations. Her attorney, Marina Beck, issued a forceful response, arguing that Martinez’s filing did not accurately reflect the truth. “To say this filing is entirely meritless and deliberately misleading would be an understatement.” Berry’s legal team also accused Martinez of repeatedly violating court orders and said he had already been sanctioned for such conduct. Berry has maintained that she will continue fighting for what she believes is in Maceo’s best interests. In her own statement, Berry denied ever physically or emotionally harming her son. She has also asked for the previous 50-50 custody arrangement to be restored and accused Martinez of making her relationship with Maceo more strained.

Another person unexpectedly drawn into the dispute is Nahla Aubry, Berry’s eldest daughter with model Gabriel Aubry. Nahla filed a declaration in support of her mother, saying that she had never witnessed Berry physically harm her younger brother. According to information made public, Nahla described her mother as caring and responsible, and someone who has always prioritized her children’s education and development. Her statement has made the dispute particularly sensitive, as it suggests that the conflict between the two adults is beginning to affect other members of the family. However, statements made by the parties involved remain only part of the court record and cannot be treated as a final determination of what actually happened between Berry and Maceo.

In reality, disagreements over how Maceo should be raised are not new. After their divorce was finally resolved in 2023, Berry and Martinez agreed to share custody and responsibility for major decisions involving their son. The arrangement covered issues including schooling, medical care, therapy and holiday schedules. Berry was also ordered to pay $8,000 per month in child support, along with tuition, health insurance and other expenses for Maceo. Under the agreement at the time, the boy attended a French international private school in Los Angeles and participated in individual and family counseling programs.

Only about a year after that agreement was established, Berry asked the court to grant her sole legal custody of Maceo. In a 2024 filing, the actress argued that Martinez was not cooperating in making decisions concerning their son’s education and behavioral needs. Berry also accused her ex-husband of failing to participate fully in the co-parenting process, unilaterally ending co-parenting sessions and refusing to agree with certain recommendations from professionals and the school. She asked either to be granted sole decision-making authority or, at minimum, to have final decision-making power over matters involving Maceo’s education and therapy. Martinez rejected Berry’s characterization of the situation and described her account as a “twisted narrative.”

Looking back at the couple’s history, Berry and Martinez’s marriage was once regarded as one of Hollywood’s high-profile romances. They met while working together on the film Dark Tide, began dating in 2010 and became engaged in 2012. They married in France in July 2013 in a private ceremony. A few months later, Berry gave birth to their son, Maceo. But only about two years after their wedding, they announced their separation. Notably, although they have not been husband and wife for many years, issues surrounding their son have continued to keep their brief marriage present in both of their lives. Their divorce proceedings dragged on for years before custody and financial matters were finally resolved in 2023.

Before becoming Berry’s husband, Martinez had already established a substantial acting career in France and internationally. Born in Paris, the actor first gained recognition in his home country before making the transition to Hollywood with roles in films such as Before Night Falls, Unfaithful and S.W.A.T. His striking appearance and cool screen presence made him a familiar face in romantic dramas and action films. His relationships with famous women also frequently attracted media attention, including his long-term romance with singer Kylie Minogue before he met Berry. Following the end of his marriage to Berry, Martinez became less visible in entertainment headlines, but his personal life has continued to draw attention whenever disputes involving Maceo reach the courts.

For Halle Berry, the story of her personal life is considerably more complicated and has unfolded over several decades alongside an accomplished film career. Berry made her mark with films including Jungle Fever, Boomerang, The Flintstones, X-Men and, most notably, Monster’s Ball, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. The achievement established Berry as one of the most influential Black actresses in Hollywood. She went on to appear in major projects including Die Another Day, Gothika and Cloud Atlas. Her role as Catwoman in the 2004 film was not well received by critics, but it became one of the most recognizable chapters of Berry’s career, with the character continuing to be associated with the actress years later.

Berry’s romantic life has also repeatedly become a subject of media attention. She married baseball player David Justice in 1993, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1997. She later married singer Eric Benét in 2001, and they separated several years later. Her relationship with model Gabriel Aubry brought her into motherhood for the first time when daughter Nahla was born in 2008. However, after Berry and Aubry split in 2010, they became involved in a highly public custody battle, particularly over Berry’s desire to move Nahla to France to live with Martinez. The court ultimately did not allow Berry to relocate her daughter out of the United States as planned.

The dispute with Aubry even led to a highly publicized physical altercation in November 2012, when Aubry and Martinez fought outside Berry’s home in Los Angeles. Both men required medical treatment following the incident. The parties subsequently took various legal steps, including temporary restraining orders. The matter was eventually resolved after Berry and Aubry reached an agreement over custody of Nahla, although financial disputes continued. In 2014, Berry was ordered to pay Aubry $16,000 per month in child support, along with additional payments under the court ruling. What happened at the time showed that the current battle with Martinez is not the first time Berry has faced a prolonged legal dispute over custody of a child.

That history makes Martinez’s latest allegations particularly sensitive for Berry’s public image. The actress has previously spoken publicly about experiencing abuse in a past relationship and has spent years supporting survivors of domestic violence. Berry has also said that an assault in her past caused serious damage to her left ear. As a result, being accused by her own former husband of harming their son has prompted a strong denial from Berry. She maintains that the allegations do not reflect the way she treats Maceo and insists that her priority remains her son’s health, education and stability.

Following her marriage to Martinez, Berry began a relationship with musician Van Hunt in 2020. The couple has maintained a relatively private relationship compared with some of the actress’s earlier romances. Berry has shared several personal photographs and moments with Hunt on social media, while he has also become part of her family life. Berry’s private life therefore entered a different chapter, but unresolved issues with Martinez over Maceo have continued to bring her back to court. In previous agreements, Hunt was also mentioned in provisions concerning Maceo’s family therapy sessions, illustrating how complicated it can be to build a blended family after divorce.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the current battle is that both Berry and Martinez insist they are acting in Maceo’s best interests, yet their interpretations of the situation are completely opposed. Martinez argues that the incidents he alleges are evidence that Berry’s contact with their son should be restricted. Berry, meanwhile, believes the focus should instead be on disagreements over co-parenting and the way Martinez has handled Maceo’s educational and psychological needs. In custody disputes, allegations can carry serious legal consequences, but a request for a restraining order or a statement made in court does not, by itself, establish that those allegations have been proven. The final decision remains with the judicial system after both sides have had the opportunity to present evidence and respond.

In recent days, Berry has also completed the “Our Children First” parenting course, a requirement that emerged during the current legal dispute. Completing the course indicates that the case is continuing through a series of legal and administrative steps rather than stopping at the allegations made by either side. Berry continues to seek restoration of the previous 50-50 custody arrangement, while Martinez is still pursuing primary custody. Another notable point is that, during the current stage of the proceedings, Berry retains final decision-making authority over certain matters concerning Maceo’s health and education.

The custody battle over Maceo is therefore approaching an important moment. The October 16 hearing could determine whether the current temporary restraining order remains in place or is modified, but it is unlikely to mark the end of the dispute. With years of disagreements over education, therapy and co-parenting now compounded by the latest allegations, Berry and Martinez may still have a lengthy legal road ahead. Behind two names that have long been associated with Hollywood glamour is a family now facing an increasingly public private crisis. As both sides continue to defend their respective positions, the outcome most closely awaited from the upcoming proceedings will be one that places Maceo’s safety and stability above the conflict between the two people who were once husband and wife.