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Halle Berry and ex-husband Olivier Martinez’s custody battle took another tense turn yesterday (October 19), as their 13-year-old son, Maceo, spent nearly four hours testifying behind closed doors in a Los Angeles courtroom.
According to Page Six, the former couple exchanged icy looks during the hearing, which centers on Martinez’s allegations that Berry physically abused their son. Berry arrived with her attorneys and fiancé, musician Van Hunt, while Martinez attended with Maceo and his legal team.
Judge Shelley Kaufman cleared the courtroom before Maceo took the stand. His testimony lasted nearly four hours, with a lunch break during which he was reportedly seen chatting comfortably with his father. Page Six reported that he did not interact with Berry during the proceedings.
“Olivier is a great, loving father,” Martinez’s attorney, Patrick Baghdaserians, told the outlet. “He is very caring and only wants the best for his son.”
Martinez alleges Berry choked Maceo during a Sept. 26 confrontation over a virtual reality headset, claiming she called the teenager “such an idiot” before grabbing him by the neck. He has also accused Berry of physically mistreating their son on multiple occasions over the past 18 months.
Berry has vehemently denied the allegations, saying they were roughhousing rather than fighting. “I have never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo,” she stated in an earlier court filing. “I would never hurt our child.”
Martinez obtained a temporary restraining order on Oct. 1 restricting Berry’s contact with Maceo. He is seeking sole legal and physical custody, while Berry wants the order lifted and their previous 50-50 arrangement restored.
Berry has also accused Martinez of interfering with their son’s educational and therapeutic needs and attempting to turn him against her. Meanwhile, her 18-year-old daughter, Nahla Aubry, said in a sworn declaration that she was “shocked” by the allegations and had never witnessed her mother physically abuse Maceo.
Although Berry opposed her son’s involvement in the proceedings, Judge Kaufman allowed him to testify about the restraining order allegations, rather than the broader custody dispute. His account remains private as the contentious case continues.