‘Never Let Go’ Star Halle Berry Faces Abuse Allegations as Olivier Martinez Seeks Restraining Order

The ongoing custody battle between Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez has resurfaced in court. The former couple, who married in 2013 and finalized their divorce in 2023 after filing in October 2015, had previously agreed to joint legal custody and shared physical custody of their son.

However, this arrangement has faced challenges. In 2024, Berry sought sole legal custody, claiming that Martinez was interfering with their son’s educational and therapeutic needs. Her filing at that time described his actions as turbulent and harmful, a claim that Martinez has contested.

The latest developments are particularly alarming. On Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, Martinez filed for a domestic violence restraining order and sole custody of their 12-year-old son in Los Angeles Superior Court. These allegations are part of a court filing, and Berry’s representatives have denied them.

According to Variety, Martinez claims that on Sept. 26, Berry “physically abused our son Maceo, by jumping on him, putting her hands around his neck, and choking him.” He is seeking sole custody, which would alter their current custody arrangement.

The petition reportedly indicates that the conflict involved virtual reality goggles, leading the boy to call for help. Martinez claims he heard his son panicking and Berry yelling, and that Maceo left her home with his belongings upon his arrival. The filing also mentions that Berry’s fiancé, Van Hunt, was present during the incident.

Martinez alleges that there have been previous incidents of physical, verbal, and emotional abuse, including occasions when Berry placed their son in chokeholds. He stated that Berry texted him an apology afterward and expressed a desire not to permanently sever the mother-son relationship, although he believes they should not interact until Berry takes accountability.

Martinez has also requested that Berry refrain from using alcohol or other substances during visitation. His attorney, Patrick Baghdaserians, emphasized that the primary concern is the health and welfare of their son.

A Los Angeles County judge has already intervened, granting a temporary restraining order that requires Berry to maintain a distance of 100 yards from Martinez and limits her contact with their son to court-ordered visitation. Currently, this visitation is set for two days each week and every other weekend, with the order remaining in effect until the hearing on Oct. 16.

Berry’s attorney, Marina Beck, has vehemently denied the allegations. In a statement reported by Variety, Beck described the filing as “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading.” She added that such claims are not surprising coming from someone with a documented history of erratic and violent behavior.

Beck also mentioned that there is substantial evidence, including multiple judicial rulings, indicating that Martinez has repeatedly violated court orders and interfered with necessary therapeutic and educational interventions, and that he has faced legal sanctions for these actions. Berry’s representatives have not yet responded to an initial request for comment.

The upcoming hearing on Oct. 16 will be crucial as the court evaluates the conflicting accounts. For now, the restraining order is temporary, and neither party’s claims have been substantiated in court. Under their 2023 agreement, Berry is obligated to pay $8,000 per month in child support, along with additional expenses related to their son’s education and activities.

Both parents have been instructed to keep their disputes away from their son. The divorce judgment mandates that they refrain from speaking negatively about each other in front of him, raising the stakes for the upcoming hearing.

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