Actress Halle Berry’s lengthy divorce with French actor Olivier Martinez has finally reached its conclusion. The couple, who filed for divorce in 2015, has finally agreed to share custody of their son Maceo. Part of the deal also includes Berry paying around $8,000 for child support as well as taking care of other expenses for Maceo.
The child support amount was quickly noticed by netizens who found that despite Berry being an Academy Award-winning actress with a net worth of $90 million, the amount was relatively low compared to that of other stars. Many actors such as Brendan Fraser have been asked to pay heftier amounts in child support, despite having lower income.
The Divorce Settlement Of Halle Berry And Olivier Martinez
Actress Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez met in 2010 while filming Dark Tide. While they were dating, Martinez had a brief altercation with Berry’s ex-husband Gabriel Aubry. Berry wanted to move to France with her daughter Nahla and Martinez, and Aubry, who had joint custody of Nahla forbade her from doing so. After a lengthy custody battle, Berry was asked to pay $16,000 in child support to Aubry.
Martinez and Halle Berry got married in 2013 and in the same year, Berry gave birth to their son, Maceo. In 2015, the couple filed for divorce, with Berry stating the reason as irreconcilable differences. The couple issued a statement regarding the divorce,
“It is with a heavy heart that we have come to the decision to divorce. We move forward with love and respect for one another and a shared focus for what is best for our son. 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.”
The lengthy divorce proceedings went on till August 2023. The settlement report included shared physical and legal custody of their Maceo, where he would be staying with both during the week and would spend alternate weekends with each parent. The report also included exceptions for holidays and birthdays.
The court also ordered Halle Berry to pay $8,000 per month in child support to Martinez, and 4.5% of any income that exceeds $2 million. Apart from this, Berry would also bear the expenses of Maceo’s private school tuition, extracurricular activities, health insurance, and other expenses.
Halle Berry’s Low Child Support Compared To That Of Other Stars
When details regarding the settlement were revealed, the Internet was quick to notice the stark difference in the child support amount Academy Award winner Halle Berry was asked to pay compared to that of other stars. Celebrity divorces are often expensive affairs and since stars have a huge income, the child support to be paid also increases.
The Whale actor and recent Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser went to court in early 2013 to reduce his child support amount to ex-wife Afton Smith. The couple divorced in 2009 when Fraser was asked to pay over $75,000 monthly to Smith as alimony and child support. They shared three sons. Fraser moved to court later for reduced pay on alimony, claiming that he did not earn as much as he used to.
However, Afton Smith contested his claims, saying that Fraser was ‘hiding $9 million’ and was refusing to pay. Fraser claimed that at the time, he had earned $0 from acting, due to which the amount to be paid was not justified. The judge rules against him in the case.
Source: USA Today
Also read: “I don’t have anything”: Despite Oscars Win, Hollywood Won’t Give Brendan Fraser Any Work
