LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: Halle Berry attends the world premiere of Amazon MGM Studios' "Crime 101" at The United Theater on Broadway on February 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matei Horvath/FilmMagic)
Roomies, Halle Berry is keeping close to her family amid an ongoing legal battle with her ex-husband, Olivier Martinez, surrounding allegations involving their teenage son. Just days after the latest developments in the case, the actress made her first public appearance with her son and now, shes speaking out about what she says really happened.
In a declaration reportedly filed Oct. 5 and obtained by PEOPLE, Berry stated that she has never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo. She also described herself as a survivor of domestic violence and said she would never hurt their child. Martinez previously alleged that Berry became angry with Maceo while he was playing a virtual reality game and put him in a headlock, choking him. Berry has denied that account and says she submitted video evidence and text messages that she believes contradict his version of events.
According to Berrys declaration, she went into Maceos room to tell him it was time to stop gaming and began recording him. She said Maceo grabbed her phone after noticing she was filming, and the two began playfully roughhousing, which she described as something they frequently do. Berry maintains that she never put her hands around Maceos neck, choked him, restricted his breathing or restrained him. She did acknowledge that the interaction escalated, alleging that Maceo unexpectedly became upset and pushed her, prompting Hunt to come upstairs and intervene.
Halle Berry stepped out with her son, Maceo, as the legal drama surrounding their family continues to unfold. On Oct. 4, Berry and her fianc, Van Hunt, cheered on 12-year-old Maceoas he played soccer at an indoor Sky Zone trampoline park in Los Angeles.
According to an eyewitness who spoke with PEOPLE, Berry kept a low profile and appeared pretty subdued while watching Maceo play. The source said Berry politely declined a fans selfie request, explaining that she was there with her child, while she and Hunt chatted and checked their phones from the sidelines. The outing marks Berrys first public appearance with Maceo since her ex-husband, Olivier Martinez, made allegations involving their son claims Berry has denied.
Berrys 18-year-old daughter, Nahla Aubry, is also speaking out in her mothers defense. In a declaration obtained by Page Six, Nahla described Berry as a loving and devoted parent who can be strict when necessary, but said she has never witnessed her mother physically abuse Maceo.
Nahla stated that she has never seen Berry hit, slap, choke, grab, or physically abuse her younger brother, nor has she seen her put him in a chokehold or restrict his breathing. She also pushed back on Martinezs separate allegation that Berry made racially insensitive comments, noting that she, Berry, and Maceo are all biracial and saying her mother taught them to embrace their identities and respect people from different backgrounds.
Nahla said she was shocked, very sad and very upset when she learned about the allegations. She described Maceo as funny, smart and full of personality and said she wants to check in with him, but has held back because she remains uncertain about what is permitted under the current court filings. For now, the legal dispute continues, with Berry maintaining that the allegations against her do not reflect what happened between her and her son.
