Halle Berry Brands Ex Olivier Martinez a ‘Worm’ in Text Message Correspondence Laid Bare in Bitter Court Fight Over 10-Year-Old Son
Halle Berry asked for sole custody of the son she shares with Olivier Martinez as text messages exposed in their bitter court battle revealed the actress used a worm emoji for her ex-husband's contact photo.
Aug. 21 2024, Published 4:19 p.m. ET
Halle Berry asked for sole custody of the son she shares with Olivier Martinez as text messages exposed in their bitter court battle revealed the actress used a worm emoji for her ex-husband's contact photo.
Case files exclusively obtained by RadarOnline.com show Berry, 58, claimed her French actor ex, 58, "continues to refuse to be a productive and engaged co-parent and refuses to participate in joint decision making regarding our son", 10-year-old Maceo.
The Cloud Atlas star claimed this conduct has caused "detrimental harm to Maceo’s education...and emotional and psychological well-being."
The divorced couple has been at odds over how to co-parent their 10-year-old son, Maceo.
Berry's attorney wrote: "Maceo’s already existing educational and other challenges coupled with Olivier’s interference caused Maceo to fall grade levels behind in school, caused Maceo to experience low self-esteem and resulted in acting out behaviors which also impacted my and Maceo’s relationship."
By allegedly failing to consult Berry on important decisions regarding Maceo, her lawyer argued Martinez "has effectively delegated himself sole decision-making authority", which violates their joint custody agreement.
As a result, Berry claimed Martinez "has forced [her] hand, leaving her no choice but to request a modification of the joint legal custody provision...to award her sole legal custody, or in the alternative, tie-breaking authority, and to make decisions regarding Maceo’s education and participation in mental health counseling and therapy".
Her court filing included screen shots of text messages she exchanged with Martinez in April after Maceo's school recommended a pharmaceutical evaluation by a psychiatrist, "in light of the conduct Maceo continues to exhibit at school and elsewhere," Berry explained.
The images showed the former couple's disagreement over what was best for their son, with Berry lamenting in one of her messages: "very sad that we can't talk about this as parents."
Berry included screen shots of text messages she exchanged with Martinez in her petition.
Martinez, saved in the actress's phone as "Oli" alongside the worm emoji, accused his ex of lying and speaking negatively about him to Maceo. Berry, in turn, told her ex: "we used to try to get along for (M)aceo's sake, now you don't want to even try", adding, "(I)'m tired of fighting with you and (I) quit."
In response, the actor accused Berry of "playing dirty" and "not putting (Maceo's) best interest first", closing his text with: "but karma is coming no worrys (sic)".
Berry's letter to the court claimed Martinez "did not respond to the school" regarding the evaluation and "refused to address this with [her], despite numerous follow ups."
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Berry recently lost her bid to force Martinez to attend co-parenting therapy sessions they had agreed to.
She had "hoped to address this issue in co-parenting therapy over the summer and have Maceo evaluated before the new school year begins," but said Martinez "did what he has always done: successfully delayed decisions necessary to obtain interventions for Maceo, all to Maceo’s detriment."
As RadarOnline.com reported, Berry recently lost her bid for a judge to force Martinez to attend the co-parenting therapy sessions they had agreed on after she claimed he failed to follow through on the obligation.
The Catwoman star said Maceo's dad was blowing off the sessions "because he wants to have the summer off", arguing he was "thereby thwarting the entire therapeutic process".
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Halle Berry is 'furious' she's still battling with her ex-husband, Olivier Martinez, eight years after their divorce, an insider tells RadarOnline.com.
She also accused Martinez of putting Maceo "in the middle" of their disputes, claiming this has "caused Maceo to act out against me".
Martinez fired back, accusing Berry of "constantly attempting to strong-arm [him] by forcing him into 'submission' using her wealth, and the legal professionals at her disposal".
The embattled exes got married in 2013 and settled their divorce in 2016, agreeing at the time to share physical and legal custody of their son.
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