As Hollywood break-ups go, this surely is one of the longest and ugliest. For Oscar-winning star Halle Berry and her ex-husband, French actor Olivier Martinez, the tussle has been dragged through the US courts this past month after an explosive new filing accusing Berry of physically abusing the couple’s 13-year-old son Maceo. An allegation she strongly denies.It’s a battle giving other high-profile splits – take a bow Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie – a run for its money in terms of sheer acrimony and family conflict. Though the divorce between Berry and Martinez, both 60, was finalized in 2023, ending ten years of marriage, they have been arguing over custody details since they split eight years ago. And now the knives are truly out.Indeed today, a source close to Martinez says the actor believes marrying Berry was ‘the biggest mistake of his life’. According to the insider, the couple’s relationship was already volatile before they said: ‘I do’ in July 2013.’Maceo was the reason Olivier married Halle,’ they told the Daily Mail. ‘Halle was pregnant at the time and, as old fashioned as it sounds, he thought it was the right thing to do.’Olivier and Halle had arguments even before they wed. Their unofficial honeymoon period didn’t last long. He doesn’t know how he stayed with her and put up with her moods as long as he did.’Halle was very demanding. She always wanted things her way. Maceo was the only good thing that came out of the relationship.’ A source close to Olivier Martinez said the actor believes marrying Halle Berry was ‘the biggest mistake of his life’ (pictured together in 2012)The pair met while filming Dark Tide in South Africa in 2010, the same year Berry broke up with her previous long-term boyfriend, Canadian model Gabriel Aubry, with whom she has daughter Nahla, now 18.While with Aubry, Berry repeatedly said she would never marry again. The first African-American woman to win the Best Actress Oscar (for Monsters Ball in 2002) already had two failed marriages behind her – to major league baseball player David Justice and singer and musician Eric Benet – and saw no reason to do it again.Yet Martinez, dubbed ‘the French Brad Pitt’ and famously the boyfriend of Kylie Minogue between 2003 and 2007, was different.Halle and Olivier went public as a couple in October 2010 with reports at the time claiming they struggled to rein in the PDA while shooting the action movie. In January 2012, meanwhile, Berry stepped out wearing a diamond and emerald engagement ring. Weeks later Martinez confirmed they were engaged, telling the Miami Herald: ‘Yes, of course it’s true.’It was an intimate, fairytale wedding at the Chateau des Conde in Vallery, central France, in July 2013, that took place just a few months after they confirmed they were expecting a baby. Maceo was born in the October and the following year Berry reprised her role as Storm in the fourth instalment of the X-Men franchise. Life was surely at its happiest and most productive.But rumors that all was not well in the marriage quickly began to trickle out. Sources close to Berry immediately and vehemently denied them, but still they swirled and in January 2015 feelings apparently boiled over when Martinez allegedly pushed an airport employee with a car seat at LAX airport in Los Angeles as photographers tried to take photos. He was named a suspect in a battery investigation, but authorities did not pursue criminal charges.By the summer Berry was seen without an engagement ring, with sources claiming she had lost it the year before. In October, the rumors could no longer be denied and the couple announced that, ‘with a heavy heart’, they had in fact split up.’We move forward with love and respect for one another and the shared focus of what is best for our son,’ they wrote in a joint statement. ‘We wish each other nothing but happiness in life and we hope that you respect our and, most importantly, our children’s privacy as we go through this difficult period.’ ‘Olivier and Halle had arguments even before they wed. Their unofficial honeymoon period didn’t last long,’ the source added After two weeks of hearings, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled to dissolve Martinez’s temporary restraining order against the Oscar winner last month (Berry pictured arriving at court with fiance Van Hunt last month)Both cited irreconcilable differences to the court.It marked Berry’s third divorce. Perhaps she should have heeded those promises to herself after all.And there they might have left it and walked away, albeit dusting themselves down as they went. Except the custody battle for Maceo then rumbled on. And on. Indeed, the divorce was only finalized in August 2023, when the pair agreed to a joint custody arrangement, with Berry getting her son on even-numbered years for special occasions, while Martinez was given odd-numbered years.The former Bond girl also agreed to pay $8,000 (£6,000) a month in child support, according to the dissolution document, which also stated Berry must pay Martinez 4.3 per cent of any income she receives above $2 million (£1.48m) and also cover the fees for Maceo’s private school tuition.But even that wasn’t the end – their never-ending battle was about to erupt again.In May 2024 Berry and Martinez agreed to attend sessions to ‘resolve disputes and conflicts between them in an effort to successfully co-parent’ Maceo, according to court documents obtained by the US celebrity gossip column Page Six. The acrimony continued, with Berry accusing Martinez in court documents that August of attempting to ‘delay’ these co-parenting therapy sessions by taking ‘the summer off’ to travel.Weeks later she requested sole custody of Maceo, claiming in her filing that Martinez’s alleged ‘turbulent and detrimental behavior’ was negatively impacting their son.’Co-parenting never worked out,’ said our insider. ‘There were always major issues and differences of opinion between them.’ ‘We are extremely pleased that the Court has dissolved the TRO,’ Marina Beck, Berry’s attorney, told Page SixYet now the row has gone nuclear – and at the same time much more serious. Last month Martinez accused Berry in court documents of jumping on their son, putting her hands around his neck and choking him. He claimed Berry’s new (and fourth) fiancé – the 56-year-old singer, songwriter and record producer, Van Hunt, to whom she became engaged last year – was present at the time.Martinez was granted a temporary domestic violence restraining order against Berry, requiring her to stay 100 yards away from their son.The sole identified eyewitness to this alleged confrontation, which took place on September 26, Van Hunt revealed in a public court declaration obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail that Berry had shouted: ‘So, you’re going to fight me now?!’ after Maceo allegedly resisted her demands to remove his Oculus virtual reality headset.In a document filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court, he said the teenager ‘aggressively resisted’ when Berry tried to take off the device, then threw it and shoved his mother – prompting the singer to intervene.Hunt said the mother and son were yelling and ‘on the verge of tears’ before Maceo began calling his father and packing his clothes.His recall of the alleged event came after Berry temporarily lost 50/50 custody on October 1 this year and was only allowed to see Maceo during court-ordered visitation two days a week and every other weekend.Her attorney Marina Beck told the Daily Mail that the filing is ‘entirely meritless’, adding that Berry is ‘used to this kind of outrageous conduct’ from Martinez.Berry’s daughter Nahla had previously submitted a declaration saying she found the allegations ‘shocking’ as she had never seen her mother being abusive. ‘Co-parenting never worked out,’ said our insider. ‘There were always major issues and differences of opinion between them’ After two weeks of hearings, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled to dissolve Martinez’s temporary restraining order against the Oscar winner last month. She remains barred from overnight visits with her son, however, according to a court order.The mother and son must also attend 12 sessions of ‘safe haven joint therapy’. And for the time being at least, Martinez has ‘primary physical custody’ of Maceo.’We are extremely pleased that the Court has dissolved the TRO (temporary restraining order),’ Beck told the Daily Mail in the wake of the ruling. ‘As we move forward, Halle is determined to continue to focus on the wellbeing and best interests of her family.’During the hearings, Maceo testified for nearly four hours. It was reported that Martinez grappled with the decision to put him under the spotlight, but ultimately felt he had no other option.’The last thing Olivier wanted was to have Maceo speak to the judge,’ our insider said. ‘He felt he had no option though. While he’s pleased he’s been awarded primary physical custody, he admits Maceo needs Halle in his life.’He knows she loves Maceo, but thinks she needs to calm down. Olivier’s not trying to ace her out. Just make her realize there are boundaries she shouldn’t cross. While he doesn’t like what Maceo’s been put through in front of the judge, Olivier felt he had no alternative but to push for it.’After the ruling Martinez told US TV channel Extra: ‘I truly hope Maceo and his mother will be able to have a better relationship in the future… I don’t want my son to hate his mom. I want him to love her. I want him to forgive her, and I want them to reconciliate in some sort at one point.’Martinez had claimed he was initially hopeful to resolve their issues informally during a two-day settlement conference, but instead ‘a lengthy trial ensued’. This week court documents obtained by the Daily Mail showed Martinez has asked Halle Berry to pay $240,000 (£178,000) towards his legal fees.Regardless of the outcome, for Martinez the marriage appears to have been a disaster almost from the word go.’The worst thing for Olivier is that he knows he’ll always have Halle in his life,’ said our insider. ‘Maceo’s the link that ties them together.’The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Berry and Martinez for comment.