Halle Berry's Attorney Calls Abuse Claims 'Meritless' After Olivier Martinez Seeks Restraining Order
Halle Berry's attorney is pushing back against claims by ex-husband Olivier Martinez that the actress physically and emotionally abused their 12-year-old son, calling the filing 'meritless and deliberately misleading' as a temporary restraining order limits Berry's contact with the boy.
Halle Berry's attorney is forcefully rejecting allegations by the actress's ex-husband, Olivier Martinez, that she physically and emotionally abused their 12-year-old son, calling the claims «entirely meritless and deliberately misleading» after Martinez obtained a temporary restraining order and filed for sole custody.
Martinez was granted the temporary restraining order on Thursday, according to court documents obtained by media outlets. In the filing, he alleges that Berry «physically abused our son, Maceo, by jumping on him, putting her hands around his neck, and choking him» during a September 26 incident at her home. He claims the boy was wearing virtual reality goggles while playing a game when Berry entered the room, told him he looked «so stupid,» and then attacked him while shouting, «Who is dominant now?!» Martinez also alleges the boy called him after the incident and said his mother had attacked him, and he claims Berry's fiancé, Van Hunt, was present in the home at the time.
Berry's attorney, Marina Beck, told Fox News Digital that the filing is not only baseless but part of a pattern. «There is voluminous evidence, including numerous judicial rulings, that Olivier Martinez repeatedly violated court orders and interfered with necessary therapeutic and educational interventions to the detriment of his and Halle Berry's minor son Maceo — misconduct for which Mr. Martinez has already been legally sanctioned,» Beck said. She added that «today's filing is not entirely unexpected from an individual with a well-documented history of erratic, possessive and violent behavior.»
Under the terms of the restraining order, Berry must stay 100 yards away from Martinez and can only see Maceo during court-ordered visitations two days a week and every other weekend until an October 16 hearing. The former couple has also been ordered to attend confidential mediation regarding custody. Martinez's petition additionally requests that Berry not be under the influence and that she undergo sobriety testing before, during, and after any visits with their son.
The dispute is the latest chapter in a long and contentious legal battle between the two actors. Berry and Martinez finalized their divorce in 2023, eight years after they separated. Under the settlement, Berry agreed to pay nearly $8,000 per month in child support and 4.3% of any income she earns above $2 million. She is also responsible for their son's private school tuition, all of his extracurricular activities, and his health care. Martinez, according to the divorce judgment, is required to take «reasonable action» to find employment and contribute financially for Maceo.
The current custody arrangement allows Maceo to split his time between both parents during the week and alternate weekends, with exceptions for certain holidays. He is permitted one phone or video call with the other parent before bed, limited to less than 15 minutes, according to the 33-page judgment. Both parents are also required to refrain from speaking badly about one another in front of their son.
The restraining order petition comes two years after Berry filed for sole custody of Maceo, citing what she described as Martinez's «turbulent and detrimental behavior» toward interventions for their son's educational and therapeutic needs, which she claimed impacted Maceo's relationship with her. Berry also has an 18-year-old daughter, Nahla Ariela Aubry, from a previous relationship with Gabriel Aubry.
Representatives for Martinez did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The October 16 hearing is expected to address the restraining order and the broader custody dispute as both sides prepare for mediation.
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