Halle Berry accused of physical abuse towards 12-year-old son, ex-husband files restraining order

Halle Berry's ex-husband Olivier Martinez has accused the actress of physically abusing her 12-year-old son, Maceo, according to new court documents. 

The documents reveal that Olivier has filed a temporary restraining order against Halle and is now requesting sole custody of Maceo, and state that Olivier has "significant concerns" about 60-year-old Halle's mental health, "as well as her alcohol abuse, which I believe have contributed to her abusive conduct".

The filings claim that on September 26, 2026, Halle put her hands around her son's neck and choked him after an argument over Maceo playing a game while wearing virtual reality goggles.  She reportely told her son that he looked "so stupid" and was "such an idiot."

"The situation escalated and Petitioner jumped on our son and started physically fighting with him," the documents read.  "She grabbed Maceo by the neck and started choking him while shouting, 'Who is dominant now?! Who is dominant?!'"  

© Getty Images

Maceo, who has been diagnosed with ADHD, mild dyslexia, and specific learning disorders, reportedly called Olivier and asked to be picked up, and has been left "traumatized" and does not want to return to his mother's home.

Halle's partner Van Hunt was allegedly also present during the incident.

HELLO! has contacted reps for Halle for comment.

© Getty Images for The Red Sea Int

The documents also claim it is not the first time that the Oscar-winning actress has been abusive towards their son, with Olivier alleging that "throughout the last year and a half, Ms Berry had wrestled Maceo to the ground", forcing him to "tap out" for her to get off of him, and also making racially-charged commnts.

"I contend that there have been other instances of abuse over the course of the last few years,” the filing alleges. "These other incidents involve additional physical attacks against our son, as well as verbal and emotional abuse from Petitioner to me."

In 2023, Olivier alleged Halle told their son that his dad is "a white [expletive] trying to rob a black woman" amid their ongoing child support issues.

"Ms. Berry then asked our son, 'How do you feel about that as a black man?'" alleges Olivier in the documents.

© Halle Berry

Halle and Olivier were married between 2013 and 2015, and their contentious divorce took eight years to finalize.

The 2023 divorce led to joint legal and physical custody of Maceo; the teen splits his weeks equally between his mom and dad, and alternates his time with them on weekends.

Halle was also given responsibility for covering all of her son's private school tuition, plus extracurricular activities. The actress also pays Olivier $8,000 a month, as well an additional 4.3 percent of all income she receives above $2 million.

© Joshua Blanchard

Months later, they both agreed to individual and joint sessions with a co-parenting coach to resolve ongoing conflict, but by late 2024 Halle returned to court to request more control.

In court documents, she alleged that she had "done everything possible to work with Olivier, to communicate with him, and to engage him in the decision-making process regarding our son in an amicable way."

But she claimed that he had "refused to co-parent and communicate with me in a child-centered way" and that he instead had "been oppositional and unmovable on all major issues relating to Maceo," alleging that Olivier had opposed or withheld consent for necessary educational and behavioral interventions, and claimed that Maceo was behind his peers by multiple grade levels.

Olivier has denied the claims.

Halle is also a mom to daughter Nahla, 18, whom she shares with ex Gabriel Aubry.