Halle Berry’s 18 year old daughter, Nahla Aubry, has filed a sworn declaration defending her mother against allegations that the actress physically abused her 13 year old son, Maceo. The declaration was filed Oct. 3 in Los Angeles Superior Court, two days after Berry’s ex husband, Olivier Martinez, sought sole custody of their son.
Nahla wrote that she has never seen her mother act violently toward anyone and called the allegations completely inconsistent with the mother she knows. Berry, 60, has denied the claims. A hearing is set for Oct. 16.
What is Olivier Martinez accusing Halle Berry of?
In his Oct. 1 filing, Martinez alleged that during a Sept. 26 incident, Berry pushed Maceo while he was playing a virtual reality game, then jumped on him and put her hands around his neck. He also described other alleged incidents over the past decade and said he has concerns about Berry’s mental health and alcohol use.
Martinez pointed to a text he says Berry sent the next day saying she felt terrible about a fight with their son. His filing also claims Berry made racially charged remarks to Maceo about Martinez in 2023 during a child support dispute.
A judge granted Martinez a temporary restraining order on Oct. 1. Until the hearing, Berry’s time with Maceo is limited to daytime visits from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
What did Nahla Aubry say in her declaration?
Nahla, whom Berry shares with former partner Gabriel Aubry, said she has lived with her mother her entire life and watched her relationship with Maceo for years. She described Berry as strict when needed but warm, supportive and deeply involved, attending Maceo’s games, driving him to practices and advocating for his education and medical care.
She addressed each allegation directly, saying she has never seen her mother hit, choke or throw anything at anyone. She said she has often seen Berry and Maceo playfully wrestle and tickle each other, and that she spoke with both of them by phone two days after the alleged incident, when her brother did not seem upset.
Nahla also rejected the claim about racial remarks. She noted that she, her mother and her brother are all biracial, and said Berry raised them to embrace who they are and respect people of every background.
What did Nahla say about Olivier Martinez?
She accused Martinez of treating her as an afterthought in what she called a quest to destroy her mother. She also wrote that she remembers Martinez beating up her father in their driveway when she was young, a reference to a widely reported 2012 Thanksgiving altercation between the two men at Berry’s home.
Nahla, who now attends college in Massachusetts, said she has not spoken to Maceo since the filing because she is unsure what is allowed. She said she loves her brother and is worried about how the public fight is affecting him.
How have Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez responded?
Berry filed her own declaration denying any abuse and asking the court to restore the equal custody arrangement in place since their divorce was finalized in 2023. She said she is a survivor of domestic violence herself, has worked to support other survivors and would never hurt her child. Berry has spoken publicly for years about abuse in a past relationship.
Her attorney, Marina Beck, called Martinez’s filing meritless and misleading. Martinez told PEOPLE his only concern is Maceo’s safety and welfare, and said he hopes Berry takes responsibility for what happened.
What happens next in the Halle Berry custody case?
The Oct. 16 hearing will determine whether the restraining order stays in place and how custody is handled going forward. A judge will weigh competing sworn accounts, the text messages and any other evidence presented. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
At the center of it all is a 13 year old boy. Whatever the court decides, his well being is what both parents say they are fighting for.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline, available 24 hours a day at 800 799 7233 or thehotline.org.
