Halle Berry’s fiancé has offered a new account of a heated encounter involving the actress and her 13-year-old son, alleging in explosive court documents that the boy shoved his mother during the dispute at their home. The declaration was obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail.
Berry was seen with fiancé Van Hunt on Thursday in Los Angeles, marking their first public appearance since abuse allegations surfaced in her contentious custody battle with ex-husband Olivier Martinez. Martinez has accused Berry of physically abusing their son, Maceo, allegations she firmly denies.
The 60-year-old actress wore a black T-shirt with bright yellow pants as she walked beside Hunt, 56, who opted for a denim shirt and khaki trousers.
The outing came after Hunt, the only named eyewitness to the September 26 incident, described the confrontation in a declaration filed publicly with the Los Angeles Superior Court. He said Berry yelled, “So, you’re going to fight me now?!” after Maceo allegedly refused to remove his Oculus virtual reality headset.
Hunt said the teenager “aggressively resisted” when Berry attempted to remove the device, then threw it and shoved his mother. The musician said he stepped in after the situation escalated.
He described Berry and Maceo as shouting at one another and appearing “on the verge of tears” before the boy began calling his father and gathering his belongings.
Martinez, 60, is seeking sole custody of Maceo, arguing in an October 1 filing that Berry physically abused their son.
A judge also granted Martinez a temporary domestic violence restraining order against Berry. The order protects both Martinez and Maceo and requires Berry to remain at least 100 yards from Martinez.
Halle Berry was photographed with fiancé Van Hunt in Los Angeles on Thursday as newly filed court documents detailed an explosive confrontation involving her 13-year-old son.
The 60-year-old actress appeared cheerful and smiled as she stepped out in a black T-shirt and vivid yellow track pants despite the ongoing legal battle.
Berry temporarily lost their 50/50 custody arrangement on October 1. She is now permitted to see Maceo only through court-ordered visits twice a week and every other weekend.
Berry’s attorney, Marina Beck, told the Daily Mail that Martinez’s filing was “entirely meritless.” She added that the actress is “used to this kind of outrageous conduct” from her former husband.
A judge has since authorized Maceo to testify in the custody dispute later this month. Berry has repeatedly and vehemently denied the accusations.
Hunt claimed in his declaration that Martinez had “emboldened” Maceo by allowing the teenager too much control over his own life.
The Grammy-winning musician defended his fiancée as a “loving, attentive, highly engaged, forbearing mother” and said he had never witnessed her behave abusively.
Hunt said he and Maceo had formed a “close relationship” since he began dating Berry six years ago. He added that they had lived together for five of those years.
Hunt, 56, wore a denim shirt, tan pants and dress shoes as he walked alongside Berry, who appeared to take a phone call.
Hunt, who has been with Berry for six years, said in court documents that he had to intervene during the heated September 26 confrontation between the actress and her son, Maceo.
Hunt said Maceo was in “great spirits” on September 26, the day of the alleged incident, and had gone shopping with his mother for birthday presents. The teenager turned 13 on October 5.
After they returned home, Hunt said Berry went to Maceo’s room, with him following closely behind.
According to his statement, Hunt said he heard Berry say ‘Maceo,’ to which the boy gave a ‘monotone’ reply of ‘Yeh.’
Soon after Maceo called out Hunt’s name ‘playfully,’ which he took to mean his mother was tickling him, Hunt claims.
But then Hunt heard Berry tell Maceo twice that ‘you don’t have anything to prove’ – the second time with a ‘pleading’ in her voice that made Hunt go into the room, he said in the statement.
Hunt added: ‘Halle instructed Maceo to remove the Oculus and asked, ‘So, you’re going to fight me now?!’
‘Maceo ignored her. Halle reached to remove the headset from over Maceo’s head, but Maceo aggressively resisted and then threw off the headset himself and shoved Halle. I immediately jumped in between them.
‘They started yelling at each other with me standing between them. Maceo began threatening to call Olivier.’
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Berry has denied the allegations of abuse leveled by ex Martinez, 60, who is seeking sole custody of their son. The pair wed in 2013 and split in 2016. Pictured in 2014 in LA
According to Hunt, this was the first time he had ever heard Maceo make such a threat.
He said in his statement: ‘I could also see that both Maceo and Halle were on the verge of tears – they both appeared like they wanted to work things out but didn’t know how; which was heartbreaking to see.
‘Maceo started calling Olivier [his father] and began packing some clothes. Halle did not want Maceo leaving home late in the evening or removing his belongings, but to de-escalate the situation, I encouraged Halle to allow Maceo some space and to take whatever belongings he wanted with him’.
Martinez arrived and took Maceo away. The boy came back to his mother’s house two days later, during which time, Hunt said, their interactions were ‘normal, positive and loving.’
According to Hunt, Berry and Martinez have long argued over how best to attend to Maceo’s ‘educational and mental health needs’ which include ‘behavioral challenges and impulse control issues.’
Berry was seen attending ‘Through Her Lens: The Tribeca CHANEL Women’s Filmmaker Program Luncheon’ in New York on September 22 – just days before the incident
He also claims in the statement that Martinez has ’emboldened’ the boy by giving him too much control over his own life.
Hunt said he has tried to mediate between Berry and Martinez, having ‘multi-hour conversations’ on the phone with the two.
But, according to Hunt, Martinez would not back down and once said: ‘When she [Berry] stops, I will stop.’
Hunt claimed Martinez resisted all of the suggestions to get help for his son and then changed his tune, claiming that Maceo should be the one to decide, even though he is still a minor.
After Maceo learned of this, he became ’emboldened’ and, after coming back from a visit to his father, he told Berry: ‘I should be the one to decide.’
In his declaration, Hunt also gave fresh insight into Berry’s relationship with Maceo and said they often wrestle with each other, adding that they like roughhousing together.
Hunt has defended Berry as ‘loving, attentive’ mother who has never been abusive
Olivier Martinez, pictured in 2016 in LA, was granted a temporary domestic violence restraining order against Berry, which protects both him and their son from the actress
‘Their interactions are always loving and playful,’ Hunt said.
‘I have never witnessed Halle choke Maceo, place him in a headlock, put her hands around his neck, restrict his breathing, force him to “tap out” or make statements such as: “Who is dominant now?”‘ – a reference to Martinez’s claims.
The only time Hunt heard anyone use the word ‘dominant’ was Maceo when describing his performance after a soccer game.
But this became a source of frustration for Martinez, who chided Hunt for agreeing with Maceo’s concern that he wasn’t strong enough.
According to Hunt, Martinez told him he should ‘have let Maceo dream.’
‘I told him that Maceo has plenty of dreams, what he doesn’t need, especially from me – a person who really cares for him – is insincerity,’ Hunt said in the court papers.
Berry and Martinez finalized their divorce in 2023 after a bitter eight-year battle.
The Monster’s Ball star was ordered to pay Martinez $8,000 a month in child support and 4.3 percent of any income she received over $2 million in additional support.
The judge overseeing the case has imposed a restraining order against Berry and will determine if it will stay in place permanently.
Berry’s daughter Nahla Ariela, 18, has already submitted a declaration saying she had never seen her mom being abusive.