Fans Speculate Over Olivier Martinez's Drastic Change In Appearance Amid Fraught Custody Battle With Ex-Wife Halle Berry

Some fans wondered if he was preparing for a movie.

Chelsi

• Published in Film & TV
• October 6, 2024

58-year-old French actor Olivier Martinez made headlines recently because of his drastic change in appearance. The typically dashing actor swapped his stylish suits for a track jacket and tie-dye shirt and sported a head of white hair.

Fans who weren't used to the actor's "unkempt" appearance speculated if his new look was related to his ongoing custody battle with ex-wife, Halle Berry. The Academy Award-winning actress accused Martinez of turning their 10-year-old son against her.

Berry said her ex-husband's continuous attempts to involve their son in conflicts made him "act out against her." Beyond that, Martinez went against one of the terms of their divorce agreement and failed to attend co-parenting therapy sessions because he wanted a summer break.

Berry's attorney said these missed therapy sessions were not in their son's best interest. In turn, Martinez accused his ex-wife of using her wealth and her lawyers to force him to go along with what she wanted.

Their joint custody agreement seems to be falling apart as the actress recently sought to have sole custody of their son. She said their current arrangement was detrimental to their son's wellbeing. Berry said her ex-husband prevented their son from getting the help he needed.

As a result, their child has "fallen behind" because his father prioritized soccer over his studies. The actress said she spent a few hundred thousand dollars to resolve their issues privately, and going public was a last resort.

Their 2-year-marriage ended in divorce in 2015 but wasn't finalized until the latter half of 2023.

The proceedings dragged on for eight years because of the couple's fierce disagreement over custody and child support payments.

When it was finalized, Berry was ordered to pay Martinez $8,000 monthly in child support.

She was further ordered to pay 4.3% on all incomes above 2 million to her ex-husband.

Berry also agreed to pay for their son's tuition fee, extracurricular activities, health insurance, and other uninsured expenses.

The couple's bitter divorce and custody battles were unexpected considering the start of their romance.

The once-perfect Hollywood couple met on the set of the action-thriller film Dark Tide.

They began dating a month after their introduction. A year later, they got engaged over the holidays.

Months after Berry and Martinez announced they were expecting their first child, the couple tied the knot in France.

Just a year after their marriage, rumors about their split circulated but were subsequently denied by the couple.

It wasn't until 2015 that Berry and Martinez filed separately for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason. They even used their pseudonyms, Hal Maria and Oliver Martin, in their filings.

In their divorce announcement, the couple said they were moving forward with love and respect for one another, and "the shared focus of what is best for our son." They even wished happiness for each other despite their separation.

What seemed to be an amicable separation turned into anything but as proven by their drawn-out divorce and custody battles. We can only know what the former couple shares with the public, but it already looks like the battle is far from over.

Chelsi