Halle (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) October 23, 2026 – French actor Olivier Martinez has reiterated allegations of child abuse against his former wife, Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, during ongoing custody and restraining order proceedings in Los Angeles Superior Court. The dispute centres on a September incident involving their 13-year-old son, Maceo, which led to a temporary restraining order restricting Berry’s physical custody rights. Berry has categorically denied all accusations of abuse, describing the allegations as deliberately misleading and requesting that the protective orders be lifted.
Legal Dispute Escalates Following Allegations of Physical and Emotional Abuse
The legal confrontation between the former couple intensified following an incident on 26 September 2026 at Berry’s residence. According to court documents filed by Martinez, 60, Berry allegedly engaged in a physical altercation with their minor son. In his petition for a domestic violence restraining order, Martinez alleged that Berry grabbed the boy by the neck and choked him during a disagreement over a device.
Martinez further claimed that the alleged incident resulted in physical bruising and caused emotional distress to the child. His court filings assert that this was not an isolated event, alleging a broader pattern of physical, verbal, and emotional abuse by Berry directed at both their son and Martinez over recent years.
Based on Martinez’s initial filings, a Los Angeles judge granted a temporary restraining order on 1 October 2026. The temporary order placed restrictions on Berry’s custody access, eliminating overnight visitation and limiting her contact with the boy pending a full evidentiary hearing. The temporary order does not constitute a final judicial finding of abuse.
Halle Berry Formally Denies Allegations and Challenges Court Filings
Halle Berry, 60, has firmly rejected all claims of physical and emotional abuse in subsequent legal responses. In her court declarations, Berry’s legal representative, Marina Beck, characterized Martinez’s claims as “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading”.
Addressing the 26 September event, Berry acknowledged in court filings that a disagreement occurred after her son took her personal mobile phone, describing the interaction as minor “playful roughhousing” without any violence or harm. Berry contested Martinez’s assertion of physical injuries, stating that photographic evidence submitted to the court shows her standing several feet away from the child with no visible marks, redness, or bruising on the minor.
Berry expressed distress over the incident in her statement, noting that she communicated to Martinez that she felt terrible about the disagreement. She subsequently filed requests to have the temporary restraining order vacated and to restore the pre-existing joint custody framework.
Closed-Door Testimony and Witness Statements Presented to the Court
The Los Angeles court held closed-door evidentiary hearings to evaluate the competing petitions, receiving testimony from family members and outside witnesses. The proceedings included testimony from the minor child, Maceo, following court approval despite prior objections from Berry’s legal team regarding potential coaching.
John Hay, the head of the minor’s school, also provided testimony during the proceedings. In support of Berry’s position, her partner, musician Van Hunt, and her 18-year-old daughter, Nahla Aubry, offered statements.
In a written declaration submitted to the court, Aubry stated that having lived with her mother her entire life, she had never witnessed any abusive behaviour or improper parenting techniques directed towards her brother. Aubry asserted that the claims presented by Martinez were inconsistent with Berry’s parenting history.
During the multiday hearing, Martinez briefly stepped out of the courtroom alongside his attorney, Patrick Baghdaserians. Clarifying the brief departure following media reports, Baghdaserians stated that the brief exit was a court-sanctioned recess and rejected reports that Martinez had left in frustration, adding that Martinez remained satisfied with the progression of the legal proceedings.
Background of Custody Agreements and Financial Framework
Berry and Martinez were married in 2013, welcomed their son in the same year, and announced their separation in 2015. The formal dissolution of their marriage involved extended litigation, which concluded in August 2023 with a finalized divorce agreement.
Under the August 2023 agreement, the court established joint legal and physical custody of their son. The settlement mandated that Berry pay Martinez $8,000 per month in child support, along with an additional percentage of any income exceeding $2 million. The agreement also required both parties to participate in joint co-parenting therapy, which commenced in 2024 to resolve recurring disagreements over schooling and medical decisions.
In his latest motions, Martinez has requested that the court grant him sole legal and physical custody of the child, as well as mandatory drug and alcohol testing for Berry prior to visitation. The court declined to impose immediate sobriety testing requirements, maintaining focus on the review of the temporary restraining order and the broader custody arrangements. The judge’s ruling regarding the permanent status of the restraining order and custody terms remains pending following the conclusion of testimony.
