Halle Berry’s daughter Nahla Aubry is coming to her mother’s defense after the actress’ ex-husband Olivier Martinez accused him of abusing their teenage son.
Nahla, who Berry shares with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, described her mother as a “loving and devoted parent” who “can be strict when necessary,” according to an affidavit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by Page Six.
The 18-year-old actress claimed that she never witnessed the actress physically abusing her younger brother, Maceo Martinez, 13, writing: “I never saw my mother hit, slap, choke, grab, or physically abuse Maceo in any way.”
He added: “I never saw my mother put her hands around Maceo’s neck, choke him, restrict his breathing, or engage in any other behavior that remotely resembled the allegations made against him.”
Nahla said she spent most of her life with Maceo, splitting her time between Berry’s home and her father Aubry’s home before recently moving from California to Massachusetts to attend college.
She described Berry, 60, as a hands-on mom who “always makes time for me and prioritizes the things that are important to me,” adding that she watched her mother do the same for Maceo.
“He attended his games, took him to training and tournaments, and advocated for his education…” Nahla said. “He celebrates our successes, supports us through challenges, and is always there when we need him.”
Admitting that her mother can be disciplined, Nahla said, “My mother is a loving and devoted parent. She can be strict when necessary, and expects her children to follow the rules and be respectful. At the same time, she is warm, supportive and deeply involved in our lives.”
“I never observed anything abusive about his parenting.”
The 18-year-old actress said she was “shocked, very saddened and very upset” when she learned of Martinez’s allegations against Berry.
Nahla added that she was “heartbroken” for her younger brother, whom she described as “funny, smart and full of personality.”
Nahla also pushed back on another allegation Martinez made against Berry, saying she had never heard her mother “make racially insensitive or racially charged comments.”
“My mom is biracial, I’m biracial, and Maceo is biracial,” she wrote. “Throughout my life, my mother has taught us both to embrace who we are, appreciate our differences, and respect people of all backgrounds.”
Nahla said she last spoke to Maceo on Sept. 29 when Berry was driving her to school. She said they talked on speaker phone about his college experience and Maceo “seemed happy for me and didn’t seem upset about anything.”
“I really want to talk to my brother and check in on him. I want him to know that I love him,” she said, adding that Martinez avoided contact because she wasn’t sure what was allowed in the court filings.
The statement came after Martinez, 60, accused Berry of strangling Maceo during an alleged fight at her home on Sept. 26, seeking a restraining order.
Martinez claimed in court documents that Berry grabbed their son by the neck and strangled him during an argument while Maceo was playing a virtual reality game.
He also claimed that Berry had previously physically wrestled Maceo and made racist remarks to his sons.
Martinez then sought sole custody of Maceo, and a judge temporarily granted him primary custody while limiting Berry’s court-ordered visitation to two days a week and two weekends until his next hearing on Oct. 16.
Berry has vehemently denied the allegations through her lawyer, Marina Beck.
“There is ample evidence, including multiple judicial decisions, that Olivier Martinez repeatedly violated court orders and interfered with necessary treatment and educational interventions to the detriment of himself and Halle Berry’s infant son, Maceo, an abuse for which Mr. Martinez has already been legally sanctioned,” the actress’ lawyer told Page Six on October 1.
In his response to Martinez’s application, he asked the court to reinstate the 50/50 custody agreement.
She alleged that Martinez caused Maceo to become “angry and combative” with her because of her “continued attempts to align Maceo with her and me in many aspects of our child’s life and activities.”
Berry was spotted in Los Angeles with her son days after she filed for a restraining order.
Berry and Martinez married in 2013 and separated in 2016.