Halle Berry Ordered To Stay 100 Yards From Ex Olivier Martinez Amid Custody Battle

Halle Berry's custody dispute with ex-husband Olivier Martinez has escalated after a Los Angeles County judge granted him a temporary restraining order following allegations that the actress physically abused their 12-year-old son, Maceo.

The order, granted on Thursday, 1 October, requires Berry to stay 100 yards from Martinez and temporarily limits her contact with Maceo to court-ordered visitation. Martinez had sought sole custody and the restraining order after making allegations detailed in court documents.

What the Temporary Order Requires

According to TMZ, Berry will be allowed to see Maceo two days a week and every other weekend until a further hearing on 16 October. The former couple has also been ordered to participate in confidential mediation over custody.

The temporary order does not establish that Martinez's allegations are true or amount to a final custody ruling. It sets interim restrictions while the dispute continues.

Martinez's Allegations Against Berry

According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, Martinez, 60, alleged that Berry, also 60, physically attacked Maceo at her home on Saturday, 26 September, claiming she jumped on him, grabbed him by the neck and choked him.

He alleged the incident began after Berry criticised Maceo for playing a game with virtual reality goggles.

Martinez claimed Maceo subsequently called him asking to be picked up. Page Six reported that court filings included text messages in which Maceo allegedly asked his father to pick him up immediately and later asked whether he had arrived.

Martinez Requested Sole Custody of Son

Martinez also alleged that Berry caused Maceo emotional and mental distress, citing what he described as racially charged comments. He claimed she told their son in 2023 that his father was a 'white b*tch trying to rob a black woman' during a dispute over child support. He further claimed she asked Maceo, 'How do you feel about that as a black man?'

Martinez alleged that the September incident was not isolated, claiming there had been other physical, verbal and emotional abuse involving their son. He requested sole custody.

The allegations have not been independently established, and Berry has disputed Martinez's account.

Halle Berry Responds to the Claims

Berry's attorney, Marina Beck, rejected the allegations, describing Martinez's filing as 'entirely meritless and deliberately misleading.'

Beck said there was 'voluminous evidence' that Martinez had repeatedly violated court orders and interfered with therapeutic and educational interventions involving Maceo. She also claimed he had previously been legally sanctioned over such conduct.

'Halle is used to this kind of outrageous conduct from Mr. Martinez,' Beck said, adding that Berry would continue 'fighting for Maceo's best interests and providing him with the love and support he needs.'

The competing accounts mean the restraining order should not be presented as a finding that Berry abused her son. The allegations remain disputed as the custody case proceeds.

Berry and Martinez's Long-Running Custody Dispute

Berry and Martinez finalised their divorce in 2023 after an eight-year legal process. Their agreement provided for joint legal custody of Maceo, with Berry ordered to pay $8,000 (£6,000) a month in child support as well as additional expenses.

The former couple also agreed to co-parenting therapy in 2024 amid continuing disagreements over their son's care. Berry and Martinez have previously made competing claims in their custody proceedings.

The latest ruling temporarily changes their custody arrangements while the court considers the competing claims. The next hearing is scheduled for 16 October, when the temporary arrangements are due to be reviewed.