Halle Berry Responds to Abuse Allegations

Halle Berry has firmly denied any allegations of mistreatment of her son, Maceo, after her ex-husband, Olivier Martinez, accused her of physically harming their 13-year-old child.

Martinez has sought sole custody, claiming that Berry “physically abused” Maceo during a disagreement on September 26. He also cited other alleged episodes of abuse in his court documents, according to reports.

In response, Berry submitted a declaration on October 5, asserting, “I have never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo. I am a victim of domestic violence, and I help victims of domestic violence.”

Berry further stated, “I am not a perpetrator of violence. I would never hurt our child.”

The accusations stem from an incident where Martinez alleged that Berry became physically aggressive after she was upset with Maceo for playing video games. He claimed she even placed him in a chokehold and contacted him afterward, providing text messages as evidence in his filing.

Berry has rejected these claims and presented video evidence that she argues contradicts Martinez’s account. According to her, what actually happened was that she and Maceo were just “playfully roughhousing,” something they often do, until he unexpectedly got upset after realizing she was recording them.

Berry pointed out that her messages to Martinez reflected her distress after Maceo’s aggressive behavior toward her, not any harm caused by her to him.

She also mentioned that during a school meeting they attended together on September 30, Martinez didn’t express any concerns, and that he seemed comfortable with the visitation arrangements for Maceo’s birthday the following week.

Despite these events, Martinez filed for sole custody and was granted a temporary restraining order. In response, Berry sought to reinstate their shared custody arrangement.

Berry contended that Martinez isn’t suitable for providing “child-centered guidance” and highlighted that Maceo’s school has noted problems related to Martinez’s behavior. She has described Maceo as neurodivergent, asserting that he can be “angry” and “combative” after visits with his father. Moreover, she believes he needs professional assistance, but has stated that she and Martinez are at odds regarding how best to provide for his care.