Olivier Martinez Demands $240,000 in Legal Fees from Halle Berry, Citing Financial Hardship
Olivier Martinez has requested that his ex-wife, Halle Berry, cover his legal expenses following their custody battle, claiming he lacks sufficient income.
Although the legal battle between Halle Berry and her ex-husband, actor Olivier Martinez, already appeared complex, it has now taken on a significant new financial dimension.
Following a recent court ruling regarding the custody of their 13-year-old son, Maceo, Martinez has filed a formal request asking the Oscar-winning actress to cover his legal fees. According to TMZ, these costs currently total $176,522.58 and are expected to reach $240,000.
The actor justifies his request by pointing to the vast financial disparity between them, as well as his inability to afford the costs after years of being absent from major film productions.
In documents submitted to the court on November 4—which were later reported by the Daily Mail—Martinez argued: "While both the petitioner and I are actors, our incomes and net worth are vastly different."
In the filing, the actor stated that he has not held any acting roles "for years" (his most recent film appearance was in the 2024 movie. In contrast, Berry’s professional situation is much stronger; she released the film Crime 101 in February and currently has several projects in development.
According to court documents, Martinez receives an average of $776.34 per month in royalties—with his earnings for the previous month totaling just $288.33—and holds $43,206.22 across various bank accounts. Meanwhile, his average monthly expenses amount to $17,555.99. His only significant asset is a piece of real estate valued at approximately $550,000. This financial claim follows a tense, nine-day legal proceeding that concluded on October 29. During the trial, Judge Shelley Kaufman dismissed a domestic violence restraining order that Martinez had sought against Berry, following his allegations that she had physically abused their son.
Although the restraining order was lifted, the judge did not restore a 50/50 shared custody arrangement. Instead, she granted primary physical custody to the father on a temporary basis, restricted the actress’s visitation rights—prohibiting overnight stays—and mandated joint therapy for both mother and son. Following the ruling, the actress’s legal team expressed that they were "extremely satisfied" with the outcome.
The former couple is set to return to court later this month for a custody review hearing. In the meantime, the court has yet to rule on Martinez’s request that Berry cover his $240,000 in legal fees.
