Halle Berry Seeks Sole Custody, Accuses Ex Olivier Martinez of Undermining Parenting
The actress claims her ex-husband's actions have contributed to their son's behavioral issues at school.
Halle Berry is seeking sole legal custody of her 13-year-old son, Maceo, alleging that ex-husband Olivier Martinez has interfered with the child's educational and therapeutic needs and undermined her parenting decisions. In a formal response filed on Wednesday, the Oscar winner accused Martinez, 60, of repeatedly involving their son in their legal disputes.
Berry, 60, is requesting that the court grant her sole legal custody of Maceo and restore her authority over major decisions concerning his welfare. If sole custody is not granted, she is asking for final decision-making power on education, medical care, and mental health issues if the parents cannot reach an agreement within 72 hours.
The actress claims Martinez has frequently obstructed recommendations for Maceo's education and mental health care over several years. She alleges he encouraged their son to make significant decisions about school and treatment independently and involved him in the parents' conflict. Berry's legal team cited prior court findings regarding Martinez's alleged non-compliance with orders and interference with services.
Berry stated in the filing that Maceo's behavior at school has worsened considerably since a temporary restraining order was issued against her on October 1. The filing references a letter from Sara Love, Associate Head of School at Park Century School, and concerns from other school personnel detailing what Berry's lawyers described as "an escalating disregard for school rules, authority, and appropriate peer interactions."
Specific school concerns mentioned include disruptive behavior, harassing a younger student, using inappropriate language, and throwing objects. Maceo reportedly received a full week of detention starting October 12. The filing also notes Maceo telling school personnel he intends to transfer to a different school next year, which Berry argues reflects a belief that he can make major decisions about his future without parental agreement.
Berry contends that the temporary restraining order obtained by Martinez could be detrimental to Maceo's behavioral progress, asserting that she has historically been the parent responsible for enforcing discipline and pursuing therapeutic interventions. As part of her proposed custody arrangement, Berry wants Maceo to attend weekly individual therapy for at least one year, along with conjoint therapy with her. She requests the ability to select the therapists and manage scheduling.
Her attorneys also accused Martinez and his legal team of misleading the court and omitting key information, arguing that his testimony should be considered unreliable. They also suggest Maceo's account should be handled carefully due to the ongoing family conflict potentially affecting his recollection and the risk of further emotional harm from his involvement in the dispute.
Berry refuted Martinez's allegations regarding her alcohol use and opposes his requests for alcohol testing and related restrictions. She is also asking the court to reject his financial requests, including changes to child support and contributions to his legal fees. Berry proposed that she and Martinez communicate exclusively through the co-parenting app OurFamilyWizard, with rules limiting communications to one non-emergency message per day and requiring responses within specific timeframes.
Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez married in 2013 and filed for divorce in 2015. Their divorce was finalized in 2023, at which point they agreed to joint legal and physical custody of Maceo.