Halle Berry made history in 2002 as Hollywood’s first Black Best Actress Oscar winner, but the 60-year-old actress has also faced turbulent relationships and bitter legal battles that have repeatedly drawn public attention.

Berry is now fighting ex-husband Olivier Martinez over custody of their 13-year-old son, Maceo. Martinez, 60, has sought sole legal custody and a domestic violence restraining order against the actress.

In court papers seen by Page Six earlier this month, Martinez accused Berry of choking and physically abusing Maceo during a Sept. 26 altercation at her Los Angeles home. Berry and her legal team strongly denied the accusations as “meritless and deliberately misleading.”

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A source who has known Berry for years claimed that her moods have concerned people around her. “Halle can be the loveliest human being you’ve ever met, then within seconds she’ll fly into a rage,” the source said.

The source alleged that many people in Berry’s world have witnessed dramatic shifts in her mood, though the person said they had never personally seen her behave that way with her children. The source also cautioned that the claims about her temperament did not establish her guilt in the current case.

The source pointed to Berry’s February 2000 traffic collision in Hollywood. Berry ran a red light on Sunset Boulevard and struck a car driven by Hetal Raythatha, leaving Berry with a deep forehead wound and Raythatha with a broken wrist and other injuries.

Berry left before police arrived and later said she suffered amnesia after hitting her head. Investigators found no evidence that she had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

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Initially charged with a felony, Berry pleaded no contest in May 2000 to a misdemeanor for leaving the scene. She received three years of probation, a $13,500 fine, and 200 hours of community service, while Raythatha’s negligence lawsuit was settled outside court in May 2001.

The source also recalled Berry’s anger after costar Robert Downey Jr. accidentally broke her arm while they filmed the 2003 thriller “Gothika.” Berry reportedly told friends that she believed his apology was insincere.

“When you put all the pieces together, you see there might be a mood issue happening,” the source said. The person nevertheless added, “However, this doesn’t make her guilty of what she’s being accused of.”

Berry has been married three times, to baseball player David Justice, singer-songwriter Eric Benét and Martinez. She also dated model Gabriel Aubry and welcomed daughter Nahla with him in 2008, before their 2010 split led to a highly publicized parenting battle.

On Thanksgiving in 2012, Aubry and Martinez fought outside Berry’s home. Aubry suffered a broken rib, severe facial bruising, and a possible head injury, while Martinez injured his hand and neck, but neither man was charged.

Berry married Martinez in France in July 2013, three months before Maceo’s birth. Their separation was announced in fall 2015, but their divorce took eight years to complete and was finalized in August 2023.

Under the settlement, Berry was ordered to pay Martinez $8,000 monthly in child support and 4.3% of income above $2 million annually. She also covers Maceo’s private school tuition, health insurance, extracurricular activities, therapy, and counseling.

Martinez now alleges that Berry choked Maceo following an argument about virtual reality goggles and called him “such an idiot” for playing a game on the headset. He also alleged several instances of abuse during the past year and a half, though details of those incidents remain unknown.

Berry’s 18-year-old daughter has publicly supported her mother in a declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. “I have never seen my mom hit, slap, choke, grab, or physically abuse Maceo in any way,” Nahla stated.

Nahla described Berry as a “loving and devoted parent” who “can be strict when necessary.” She also said her mother was warm, supportive, and deeply involved in her children’s lives.

Martinez currently has temporary custody of Maceo, and an LA judge ruled that the teenager can testify in the proceedings. Berry retains authority to break ties on decisions concerning Maceo and has physical custody for overnight visits.

In a formal response filed Wednesday, Berry alleged that Martinez was responsible for Maceo’s recent behavioral problems at school. She is seeking sole legal custody or final authority over education, medical care and mental health matters when the parents cannot agree after 72 hours of trying.

The filing includes declarations from Nahla, Berry’s fiancé Van Hunt and school staff. The next hearing is scheduled for Monday.

Berry continues working on “The President Is Missing” at Apple Original Films and Respin, her wellness platform focused on women’s health and menopause. TMZ also reported Friday that she listed her Los Angeles home for nearly $12 million.

“I feel stronger, smarter, wiser, more myself, more in control,” Berry told Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones earlier this year. “I’m the best version of myself at this time in my life and I am so glad that I’m still here and healthy.”

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