Halle Berry denies the claims by her ex-husband that she has abused her 13-year-old son, Maceo. In court documents, she admitted that she is a victim of domestic violence.
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Halle Berry Is in a Custody Battle
As PEOPLE reports, Berry's ex-husband, Oliver Martinez, filed for sole custody of Maceo last week. In the filing, the 60-year-old actor claims that Berry "physically abused" him in an incident on Sep. 26. He alleges there have been "other instances of abuse" over the years.
Martinez was also granted a temporary restraining order against Berry on Oct. 1. This temporarily modified the pair's 50/50 custody agreement. The 60-year-old Berry later asked the court to restore the original agreement, which was put in place when their divorce was finalized in August 2023.
In a declaration filed yesterday, Oct. 5, Berry said she has never hurt Maceo.
She wrote, "I have never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo. I am a victim of domestic violence, and I help victims of domestic violence."
Berry added, "I am not a perpetrator of violence. I would never hurt our child."
Berry Denies the Allegations
Martinez claims secondhand that on Sep. 26, Berry put Maceo in a headlock and choked him while playing a virtual reality game. The actress denied the claim and submitted video evidence that she said "directly contradicts" Martinez's account. She also shared messages between her and her ex.
She wrote, "My text messages to Oliver reflect my distress after Maceo became physically aggressive toward me, not any physical conduct by me toward Maceo."
Berry said that after she went into Maceo's room to tell him to stop playing, he continued and she began recording him. When he noticed her filming, he grabbed her phone, and the two began "playfully roughhousing." Berry added that she never placed her arms around his neck, choked him, restrained his breathing, or told him to tap out.
Berry said that Maceo "unexpectedly" became upset and allegedly pushed her. When she tried to take the headset away, he pushed her again. Berry's fiancé, Van Hunt, then came between them. Maceo then threatened to call his father and leave.
Berry then texted Martinez, "pleading" with him to enforce boundaries with Maceo. She said there were no marks on her son's body or neck. She allowed him to spend the weekend with his dad, and denies apologizing to Martinez for harming Maceo.
"I told Oliver that I felt 'terrible about what happened,' which was true," she wrote. She added that she said she was "upset" that the evening ended with Maceo upset at Berry.
Berry said Martinez didn't raise concerns in the days after the incident. She also said Maceo is neurodivergent and has previously stated that he can be "angry and combative" after visits with Martinez. The two have also clashed over recommended interventions for Maceo.
She has also accused Martinez of "repeatedly" violating agreements and court orders. Berry also cited a 2025 order that gave her tie-breaking authority over decisions related to Maceo's mental health and education. Earlier this month, she asked to have that authority reinstated.
