Key Takeaways
- Olivier Martinez wants ex-wife Halle Berry to cover $240,000 in outstanding and future legal fees, citing $776.34 in monthly residual income against roughly $17,556 in monthly expenses.
- Berry denies Martinez’s allegations that she abused their 13-year-old son, Maceo, and her attorney calls the claims “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading.”
- A judge dissolved Martinez’s temporary restraining order but maintained his temporary primary physical custody of Maceo, while Berry seeks to restore their previous 50-50 arrangement.
Halle Berry's ex-husband, Olivier Martinez, wants her to pick up the tab for their bitter custody battle, and he's asking the Oscar winner for a whopping $240,000 for her trouble. The French actor claims his legal bills have spiraled out of control while he's bringing in just $776.34 a month in residual income, leaving him unable to cover the cost of fighting the Oscar winner in court.
According to new legal documents obtained by TMZ, Martinez is asking a judge to order Berry to pay $176,522.58 in outstanding attorney fees, plus another $63,477.42 for future legal expenses.
And Martinez's reported finances make that six-figure demand even more striking.
In his income and expense declaration, Martinez claims he receives an average of $776.34 per month in residuals while carrying estimated monthly expenses of $17,555.99. He also reports having $43,206.22 spread across various accounts.
That's more than $17,000 in monthly expenses against less than $800 in reported residual income. The filing does not establish Martinez's total income from all possible sources, but he argues he doesn't have the financial resources to keep paying his attorneys.
Whether Berry will be ordered to cover any portion of the $240,000 remains to be seen.
Martinez previously accused Berry of choking Maceo during a September 26 confrontation over a virtual reality headset. He alleged that the incident was part of a broader pattern of abusive behavior and sought a restraining order against the actress.
Berry has denied the allegations. Her attorney, Marina Beck, previously described Martinez's claims as "entirely meritless and deliberately misleading."
The dispute escalated into a lengthy court hearing, with Maceo testifying behind closed doors for nearly four hours. The court ordered both Berry and Martinez out of the courtroom during their son's testimony, which remains sealed.
Berry and Martinez also testified, while Berry's fiancé, musician Van Hunt, appeared as a witness.
Berry's 18-year-old daughter, Nahla Aubry, previously defended her mother in a sworn declaration.
"I have never seen my mom hit, slap, choke, grab, or physically abuse Maceo in any way," Nahla stated.
Despite the restraining order being dissolved, the judge kept Martinez's temporary primary-custody arrangement in place. Berry has sought to restore their previous 50-50 physical custody agreement and secure decision-making authority over Maceo's education, therapy, and medical care.
