American actress Halle Berry has asked the court to restore equal custody of her 13-year-old son Maceo, filing new allegations against her ex-husband, French actor Olivier Martinez. The request comes after a ruling that granted Martinez primary custody of the boy and a temporary restraining order against Berry.
In court documents cited by People, the 60-year-old “Oscar“ claims that Olivier Martinez systematically turned their son against her and this negatively affected the relationship between mother and child.
“When Maceo returned home after spending time with Olivier, he was angry and conflicted“, Halle Berry states in the documents.
The actress also claims that her son began to repeat details of personal arguments between his parents and take the position of his father. According to Berry, Olivier Martinez's behavior gradually undermined her authority as a parent.
Halle Berry also points to problems related to Maceo's education and therapeutic support. According to her, Martinez's refusal to cooperate with earlier professional intervention contributed to difficulties at school and a deterioration in the relationship between her and their son.
The actress is demanding that the court order Olivier Martinez to participate in already ordered therapy sessions.
In the new documents, Halle Berry also claims that her ex-husband does not accept her relationship with musician Van Hunt, to whom the actress is engaged.
According to Berry, Olivier Martinez is opposed to Maceo participating in family therapy with her and Van Hunt. The actress believes that such meetings would help build healthier relationships in the new family environment.
The French actor has filed a response in court and has asked that Halle Berry's request be dismissed, People reports.
The new stage of the litigation comes after serious allegations made by Olivier Martinez against his ex-wife. He claims that on September 26, Halle Berry and Maceo had a conflict over a game of a virtual reality device, during which the actress used physical force against their son.
Martinez also claims that this was not an isolated incident and accuses Berry of other acts of physical aggression over the past year and a half. The actor has attached private text messages to the documents to support his claims.
Halle Berry categorically denies the allegations.
Her lawyer Marina Beck described Olivier Martinez's claims as “completely unfounded and deliberately misleading“. According to the actress's defense, there are court decisions showing that Martinez himself violated orders and obstructed therapeutic and educational measures for their son.
While the legal battle continues, Halle Berry was photographed on Sunday with Maceo and Van Hunt at the Sky Zone entertainment center in Los Angeles. They were also joined by friends of the teenager.
Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez met in 2010 during the filming of the film “Dark Tide“. The couple married in July 2013, and a few months later their son Maceo was born.
Their marriage lasted about two years. The couple announced their separation in October 2015, but the legal finalization of the divorce took nearly eight years.
The current dispute is the latest in a long-running legal battle between Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez over custody, therapy and decisions related to raising their 13-year-old son.