Halle Berry Denies Abuse Allegations in Ongoing Custody Battle With Ex-Husband Olivier Martinez

Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry is denying allegations of child abuse raised by her ex-husband, actor Olivier Martinez, as their ongoing custody battle over their 13-year-old son, Maceo, continues in court, according to court documents cited in reporting by theGrio and TMZ. In a response filed in court, Berry characterized herself as a survivor and advocate against domestic violence, firmly rejecting any assertion that she harmed her child. According to legal filings reported by TMZ and theGrio, the dispute stems from an incident alleged to have occurred on Sept. 26 at Berry's residence.

Martinez claimed in his petition seeking to modify their custody arrangement that Berry physically attacked their son after becoming upset while the teenager was playing a virtual reality game. In his filing, Martinez alleged that Berry placed the youth in a headlock and choked him during the confrontation. Berry has strongly contested Martinez's portrayal of the event in her legal filing. She stated that she had instructed her son to stop playing the virtual reality game before stepping into an adjoining bathroom, where she began recording him on her mobile phone, according to court records cited by TMZ.

Berry reported that after Maceo noticed the recording, he entered the room and grabbed the phone, leading to what she described as playful roughhousing between the two. In her legal response, Berry directly denied placing her hands around her son's neck or restricting his breathing in any way, according to reporting by theGrio. "I would never hurt our child," Berry stated in the court documents. She also noted that her fiancé, musician Van Hunt, eventually stepped in as the interaction grew more intense.

Berry added that her son subsequently returned to Martinez's residence and that she did not observe any physical marks on him when he departed. Following Martinez's petition, a Los Angeles County judge granted a temporary restraining order that temporarily restricts Berry's visitation rights with Maceo while legal proceedings remain active. As noted in reporting on the legal action, the court order is a temporary measure and does not constitute a judicial finding regarding the accuracy of Martinez's allegations.

The legal battle has also included disagreements concerning their son's health care. In a separate court submission cited by TMZ, Martinez rejected assertions from Berry that he had opposed securing professional care for their son, claiming instead that Berry had deliberately misrepresented his actions regarding the teenager's mental health treatment. As both parties maintain sharply conflicting accounts, the custody matter remains pending before the Los Angeles County court.