Hollywood actor Halle Berry’s 18-year-old daughter, Nahla Aubry, has come out in defence of the actor amid allegations by her ex-husband, French actor Olivier Martinez, that Berry had physically abused their 12-year-old son, Maceo. In a declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court earlier this week, Nahla said she had never witnessed her mother act violently towards her half-brother and described the allegations as deeply upsetting.
Nahla, whom Berry shares with her former partner, Canadian model Gabriel Aubry, stated that she has lived with Maceo for most of his life and has never witnessed her mother physically abuse him. “I have never seen my mom hit, slap, choke, grab, or physically abuse Maceo in any way,” she wrote. Nahla also described Berry as a “loving and devoted parent” who can be “strict when necessary” and expects her children to follow rules and be respectful. She added that her mother’s approach to parenting has always been consistent with the values she has taught her children.
Reflecting on her own relationship with Berry, Nahla added, “I never doubted my mom’s love for me. She consistently provided me with stability, support, guidance, and unconditional love.” She also stated that Berry has always encouraged her children to maintain loving relationships with their respective fathers and that she had never heard her mother speak negatively about either of them to her children.
Nahla further recalled an incident from her childhood in which she allegedly witnessed Martinez assaulting her biological father, Gabriel Aubry, in their driveway. The incident reportedly took place in 2012, when Aubry and Martinez were involved in a physical altercation. In her declaration, Nahla also expressed concern about the impact of the ongoing legal dispute on Maceo and the wider family.
{{/usCountry}}Nahla further recalled an incident from her childhood in which she allegedly witnessed Martinez assaulting her biological father, Gabriel Aubry, in their driveway. The incident reportedly took place in 2012, when Aubry and Martinez were involved in a physical altercation. In her declaration, Nahla also expressed concern about the impact of the ongoing legal dispute on Maceo and the wider family.
{{/usCountry}}Nahla’s statement comes days after Martinez accused Berry of physically abusing Maceo during an alleged September 26 incident. In a court filing seeking a domestic violence restraining order and sole custody of their son, Martinez alleged that Berry jumped on the boy, put her hands around his neck and choked him. He also claimed there had been other instances of physical abuse and cited an alleged history of conflict between Berry and their son. A court subsequently granted Martinez a temporary restraining order against the actor, placing restrictions on her contact with Maceo pending further proceedings.
Berry has denied the allegations in a separate court declaration, stating that she has never physically, emotionally or otherwise abused her son. Her legal team has also rejected Martinez’s claims, describing the filing as meritless and misleading. According to Berry’s account, the September 26 incident involved playful roughhousing after she went to Maceo’s room to ask him to stop playing a virtual reality game. The competing accounts remain part of the ongoing custody dispute.
The latest development comes amid a prolonged legal battle between Berry and Martinez over the custody and upbringing of their son. The former couple, who married in 2013 and separated in 2015, finalised their divorce in 2023 after years of proceedings. They had previously shared custody of Maceo. The court is scheduled to revisit the restraining order and related custody issues at a hearing on October 16.