Halle Berry, our favorite Oscar-winning actress and all-around fierce mom, has decided that co-parenting with her ex, Olivier Martinez, is more challenging than all her action movie roles combined. So, whatβs a supermom to do? Naturally, sheβs going for the gold in the Custody Olympics by seeking sole custody of their 10-year-old son, Maceo.
Now, in the left corner, we have Halle, the 58-year-old superstar whoβs mastered everything from kicking butt on screen to kicking off playdates. And in the right corner, thereβs Olivier, also 58, who seems to think that co-parenting is a contact sport. According to Halleβs recent court filings (delivered by a courier whoβs probably still recovering from the dramatic flair), Olivier is allegedly refusing to co-parent or communicate in a child-centered way. You know, the kind of stuff youβd expect from someone auditioning for the role of βThe Most Unhelpful Ex Ever.β
But wait, thereβs more! Halleβs court filingβwhich may or may not have been written in all caps for emphasisβclaims that Olivier has been as cooperative as a cat at bath time when it comes to Maceoβs education, health, and therapy needs. The actress, who has been trying to get her son the academic and emotional support he needs, is basically saying, “Listen, either I get full custody, or I get the final say on all the important stuff. Pick one, Your Honor.”
These documents, dripping with parental frustration, were filed in the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County. Itβs been a whole year since Halle and Olivierβs divorce was officially finalizedβa mere eight years after their 2015 split. Ah, young love! Or rather, βAh, extended legal battles!β They had agreed on joint legal custody, with Halle generously handing over $8,000 a month in child support to Olivier, along with an extra 4.3% of any income she earns over $2 million. You know, just in case Olivier needed some pocket money.
But fast forward to today, and Halle is now waving a red flag, claiming sheβs been battling like a gladiator for Maceoβs educational needs while Olivier has been playing defense like itβs the World Cup. The filing paints Olivier as a staunch defender of soccer practices over schoolwork, a strategy that apparently hasnβt done wonders for Maceoβs grades. Instead, itβs left the poor kid academically adrift and emotionally frazzledβprobably wondering why soccer doesnβt have pop quizzes.
To top it all off, Halleβs filing suggests that when Maceo returns from extended stays with Dad, heβs ready to reenact his parentsβ most epic disputes, like a one-boy theater troupe. And in a plot twist that could rival any Hollywood script, Olivier allegedly insists that Maceo is βold enough to make his own decisions,β which is quite the endorsement for a 10-year-old. Because who wouldnβt trust a kid with decisions more complex than βchocolate or vanilla ice cream?β
And so, the saga continues. Will Halle win sole custody? Will Olivier finally read a parenting book? Will Maceo score a goal at his next soccer match? Stay tuned for the next episode of βCustody Chronicles: The Hollywood Edition.β
