Halle Berry’s daughter Nahla has filed a court declaration defending her mother against abuse allegations from Olivier Martinez.
Berry, 60, is locked in a custody battle with Martinez, 60, over their 13-year-old-old son Maceo after the French actor sought sole legal custody and a domestic violence restraining order against the Oscar winner earlier this month. The “Monster’s Ball” star and her legal team have called the allegations “meritless and deliberately misleading.”
Nahla, now 18, described Berry as a “loving and devoted parent” who “can be strict when necessary,” according to a declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. “I have never seen my mom hit, slap, choke, grab, or physically abuse Maceo in any way,” she stated, expressing her “shock” at the allegations and her love for her brother.
“I have never seen my mom place her hands around Maceo’s neck, put him in a chokehold, restrict his breathing, or engage in any conduct remotely resembling the allegations that have been made against her,” Nahla continued. She acknowledged that Berry expects her children to follow rules and be respectful, but said her mother is also “warm, supportive and deeply involved in our lives.”
“I never observed anything abusive about her parenting,” she added.
Martinez currently has temporary sole custody of Maceo, and an LA judge ruled this week that the teenager can testify in the proceedings. In court papers earlier this month, Martinez accused Berry of choking and physically abusing Maceo during an altercation at her Los Angeles home on Sept. 26. He alleged the incident followed an argument over virtual reality goggles, claiming she called Maceo “such an idiot” for playing a game on the headset. Martinez has also alleged multiple instances of abuse over the past year and a half.
In a formal response filed Wednesday, Berry alleged that Martinez is responsible for their son’s recent behavioral issues at school. She is seeking sole legal custody and wants the court to restore her authority over major decisions affecting Maceo’s welfare. If the judge declines, she is asking for final decision-making authority over education, medical care and mental health issues if the parents cannot reach an agreement after 72 hours of trying. The filing includes declarations from her fiancé, musician Van Hunt, 56, alongside Nahla and school staff.
The next hearing for Maceo’s case is slated for this coming Monday.
Meanwhile, a longtime source who has known Berry for many years painted a complicated portrait of the actress to the outlet. “Halle can be the loveliest human being you’ve ever met, then within seconds she’ll fly into a rage,” the source said.
“There is what I can only term as a dysregulation to her moods that many, many people in her world have witnessed. And while I personally have never seen her be like that with her children, the polarity of her moods are well known among her friends … I don’t think anyone in her life is immune to the mood swings,” the source continued.
The source pointed to Berry’s past, including a February 2000 hit-and-run on Sunset Boulevard that left the other driver, Hetal Raythatha, with a broken wrist. Berry pleaded no contest to leaving the scene, received three years probation, a $13,500 fine and 200 hours of community service. The source also recalled how Berry remained furious for years after co-star Robert Downey Jr. Accidentally broke her arm filming 2003’s “Gothika,” reportedly telling friends his apology was insincere.
“When you put all the pieces together you see there might be a mood issue happening,” the source said, while cautioning: “However, this doesn’t make her guilty of what she’s being accused of.”
Indeed, “Martinez has his own issues,” the source added.
Berry’s romantic history has been marked by legal conflict. She married baseball player David Justice and singer-songwriter Eric Benét before Martinez. With model Gabriel Aubry, she had daughter Nahla in 2008, but their split in 2010 triggered years of court battles. In a combustible confrontation on Thanksgiving 2012, Aubry and Martinez came to blows outside Berry’s home. Aubry suffered a broken rib, severe facial bruising and a possible head injury, while Martinez sustained injuries to his hand and neck. Aubry was arrested for misdemeanor battery and both men obtained temporary restraining orders against each other before settling days later; neither was charged.
Berry and Martinez wed in France in July 2013, three months before Maceo was born. Their divorce dragged on for eight years before finalizing in August 2023. Berry was ordered to pay Martinez $8,000 monthly in child support plus 4.3% of income above $2 million annually, plus Maceo’s private school tuition, health insurance, extracurriculars and therapy. She also pays Aubry $16,000 monthly for Nahla.
“These custody situations enrage Halle,” the source said. “And she has to support these men. They have both relied on her to support them, so it’s understandable that she would get upset, but her rage is sometimes out of control.”
The source who has known Berry for years said, “I hope this [current legal situation] doesn’t get too messy for the sake of everyone involved.”
Despite the turmoil, Berry continues working on “The President Is Missing,” an Apple Original Films adaptation of the Bill Clinton and James Patterson novel, and Respin, her wellness platform. She told Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones earlier this year: “I feel stronger, smarter, wiser, more myself, more in control. I’m the best version of myself at this time in my life and I am so glad that I’m still here and healthy.”
Berry has also put her LA home — the site of the 2012 Thanksgiving brawl — on the market for nearly $12 million, reports said Friday.