Halle Berry completed a court-mandated parenting program, a legal filing showed Tuesday, as she continues to challenge a temporary restraining order obtained by her ex-husband, Olivier Martinez. Martinez alleges Berry physically abused their 13-year-old son, Maceo, while Berry denies the claims and is seeking to restore their previous custody agreement.
Court Issues Temporary Restraining Order
The legal conflict between Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez intensified on October 1, when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted Martinez a temporary restraining order. The order, which remains in effect until a scheduled hearing on October 16, restricts Berry’s contact with Martinez and their 13-year-old son, Maceo, and modifies her visitation schedule to specific days and weekends.
Under the modified schedule, her hours with her son are limited to Mondays, Tuesdays, and weekends between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. The judge also allowed Berry to maintain final decision-making authority over Maceo's mental health and education.
According to court documents, Martinez claims that Berry became angry after seeing Maceo wearing virtual reality goggles and playing a game. Martinez alleges that Berry physically abused our son, Maceo, by jumping on him, putting her hands around his neck, and choking him.
In the filing, Martinez also accused Berry of yelling that the boy looked like such an idiot
and told him he was an idiot
while wearing the headset.
The petition from Martinez also contained allegations regarding earlier incidents from previous years, asserting that Berry had put their son in choke holds inspired by mixed martial arts training and had previously grabbed the boy’s neck from behind and forced him to tap out. Furthermore, Martinez alleged that during a prior child support dispute in 2023, Berry told Maceo, then nine years old, that his father was ‘a white b— trying to rob a Black woman’ due to child support issues,
and asked him, How do you feel about that as a Black man?
Martinez also claimed that Berry texted him following the September incident to apologize, writing, I feel terrible about what happened last night as I know he does as well.
Berry Denies Abuse Allegations
I have never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo. I am a victim of domestic violence, and I help victims of domestic violence. I am not a perpetrator of violence. I would never hurt our child,
Berry wrote in the filing. Berry also denied yelling Who is dominant now?
as alleged, noting she was instead telling Maceo, You don’t have anything to prove,
and stated she had timestamped video supporting her account of the encounter, pointing out that Maceo had no marks on his neck or body when he left her home.
Her attorney, Marina Beck, has characterized Martinez’s filing as entirely meritless and deliberately misleading,
alleging that Martinez has a history of violating court orders and interfering with the boy’s educational and therapeutic needs. Beck’s statement added that Martinez exhibits a well-documented history of erratic, possessive and violent behavior,
and stated that Berry will not allow it to deter her from fighting for Maceo’s best interests.
Couple Faces October 16 Court Date
The current dispute follows a lengthy legal battle that ended when the couple’s divorce was finalized in August 2023, eight years after they split in August 2015 following a marriage that began in July 2013 in France. Berry is now asking the court to restore the enforcement of this original joint custody order, claiming that recent modifications have led to more conflict
and asserting that Martinez has engaged in attempts to align Maceo with him and against her in many areas of the child’s life and activities. Berry also accused her ex of refusing to provide professional help for the boy’s behavioral and neurodivergent issues.
Berry’s eldest child, 18-year-old Nahla Ariela Aubry, whom Berry shares with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, also submitted a declaration in Los Angeles Superior Court in defense of her mother. She stated that her mother is a loving and devoted parent
who can be strict when necessary,
noting that she was warm, supportive and deeply involved in our lives
and adding, I never observed anything abusive about her parenting.
Outside of court, Berry and her fiancé, musician Van Hunt, were recently spotted spending time with Maceo at a Los Angeles trampoline park. The former couple is scheduled to return to court on October 16.
