Halle Berry fired a pointed message at ex-husband Olivier Martinez through her Instagram Stories as their bitter custody fight over son Maceo heads toward a final ruling.
The “Catwoman” actress, 58, shared a post reading, “If kids disrespect their moms, the root cause often traces back to the relationship with the father.” Berry offered no additional commentary on the message, moving on afterward to post about Black Cat Awareness Month.
The social media jab lands in the middle of a Los Angeles Superior Court battle that has pulled in multiple family members. Berry and Martinez, both 60, have been sparring over custody since their 2015 divorce, finally reaching a 50/50 joint legal and physical custody arrangement eight years later. That tenuous peace shattered last month when Martinez accused Berry of choking Maceo, now 13, and sought a domestic violence restraining order plus sole custody.
Berry shot back through her lawyer, calling the allegations “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading” and accusing Martinez of “erratic, possessive and violent behavior.”
“Halle is used to this kind of outrageous conduct from Mr. Martinez and, while she is deeply saddened, she will not allow it to deter her from fighting for Maceo’s best interests and providing him with the love and support he needs,” her legal team stated at the time.
In court filings, Berry painted a different picture of Maceo’s time with his father. She claimed the teen returns from Martinez’s care “angry and combative,” and alleged her ex has repeatedly interfered with Maceo’s education and therapy while undermining her parenting authority and dragging the boy into their legal disputes.
Berry is pushing to restore the 50/50 custody split and gain sole legal control over Maceo’s education and medical decisions.
The case moved into high gear on Oct. 19, with both parents taking the stand. Maceo himself testified for nearly four hours. Berry’s fiancé, musician Van Hunt, and her 18-year-old daughter Nahla — whose father is model Gabriel Aubry — appeared virtually.
Nahla threw her support behind her mother in a declaration filed earlier this month. “I have never seen my mom hit, slap, choke, grab, or physically abuse Maceo in any way,” she wrote.
Acknowledging her mother “can be strict when necessary and expects her children to follow rules and be respectful,” Nahla continued, “My mom is a loving and devoted parent. … She is warm, supportive and deeply involved in our lives.”
The family drama has played out publicly before. Berry and Martinez’s divorce proceedings stretched across years of legal wrangling before the 2023 custody settlement, and tensions flared again this September when Martinez was temporarily granted primary custody of Maceo amid his abuse allegations.
Berry’s recent Instagram post marks a rare direct acknowledgment of the conflict from her side, though she stopped short of naming Martinez. The timing suggests closing arguments, set for Tuesday, have her on edge about which way the court will lean.
Both parents have now had their say in court, with a ruling expected this week.