Halle Berry's Ex-Husband Olivier Martinez Seeks Sole Custody Amid Abuse Allegations

Halle Berry's fiancé, Van Hunt, was present at the Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday to support the actress amidst an escalating custody battle with her ex-husband, Olivier Martinez. Martinez is seeking sole custody of their 13-year-old son, Maceo, alleging that Berry has physically abused the boy. Berry has vehemently denied these allegations.

Martinez was granted a temporary domestic violence restraining order against Berry, which requires her to stay 100 yards away from him and Maceo. As a result, Berry temporarily lost 50/50 custody and is currently permitted to see Maceo only during court-ordered visitations two days a week and every other weekend. Berry's attorney, Marina Beck, has described the filing as "entirely meritless" and stated that Berry is "used to this kind of outrageous conduct" from Martinez.

Maceo has been cleared by a judge to testify in the dispute later this month. Van Hunt, who is listed as the sole eyewitness to a September 26 incident involving Berry and Maceo, provided a declaration in court. He stated that during a confrontation about Maceo's virtual reality headset, the teenager aggressively resisted Berry's attempts to remove the device, threw it, and shoved his mother. Hunt intervened, and both mother and son were reportedly on the verge of tears. Maceo then began to call his father and pack his clothes.

In his declaration, Hunt defended Berry, calling her a "loving, attentive, highly engaged, forbearing mother" and denied witnessing any abusive behavior. He described his relationship with Maceo as close and stated that their interactions, including wrestling and roughhousing, are "always loving and playful." Hunt also claimed that Martinez has "emboldened" Maceo by giving him too much control, contributing to behavioral challenges and impulse control issues, which he and Berry have reportedly long argued over how to address.

Hunt detailed his attempts to mediate between Berry and Martinez, but stated Martinez was unwilling to change his stance. According to Hunt, Martinez once said, "When she [Berry] stops, I will stop." Hunt also claimed Martinez resisted suggestions for Maceo to receive professional help, later asserting that Maceo, despite being a minor, should be the one to decide his own course of action. Maceo, upon learning this, reportedly told Berry, "I should be the one to decide."

The custody dispute is a continuation of a bitter legal fight that followed Berry and Martinez's divorce, which was finalized in 2023 after an eight-year battle. Berry was ordered to pay Martinez $8,000 per month in child support and 4.3 percent of any income exceeding $2 million annually. Berry's daughter from a previous relationship, Nahla Ariela, 18, has also submitted a declaration supporting her mother, stating she has never witnessed her mother being abusive.