The Stunningly Awful Love Life Of Halle Berry
Halle Berry is easily one of the most celebrated actors of our time. She has lit up the big screen starring in dozens of major motion pictures, nabbed just about every accolade under the sun, including a coveted Academy Award for Best Actress, even moving into the director role, proving to be a force on all artistic fronts.
When it comes to film, everything Berry touches turns to gold. Whether taking on dramatic roles as she did in "Losing Isaiah" and "Monster's Ball," or making crowds laugh with her comedic work in films like "B.A.P.S.," she has indeed shown the world she possesses the talent and drive to rise to the top of her game. Berry has spent her adult years fine-tuning her craft to become wealthy and famous beyond this midwestern gal's wildest dreams, yet her luck with love has been an entirely different situation.
For years Berry's romantic life was one swing and miss after another. From dalliances that never quite got off of the ground to marriages that crashed and burned, Berry sure struggled in her quest to find her Mr. Forever. Now, Berry has finally landed the man of her dreams in Van Hunt. It took her decades to snag him, and heaven knows she had to kiss a few frogs before scoring her prince, but Berry's insistence on never giving up on love and happiness proved worthwhile in the end.
Early life patterns and the effects on her love life
The road to love had been a rocky one for actor Halle Berry, and her patterns of ill-fated relationships likely started long before she was of dating age. Berry's parents divorced when she was very young, and according to Berry's own accounts, her father suffered from alcohol abuse and was abusive towards Halle's mother (via Cleveland.com). While many kids from divorced homes grow up to have wildly successful and stable marriages, many follow patterns set by their parents. According to Psychology Today, some studies show that if a woman's parents endured a divorce, her own chances of a failed marriage increase by 69%.
As it stands now, Berry has been divorced three times, so it is safe to say she falls into the camp of repeated cycles. She found herself in another cycle set by her parents, one far more dangerous than divorce. As her mother was abused by her father, Halle, too, endured physical abuse at the hands of a man. At the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City (via Essence), Berry discussed how history sadly repeats itself. "When I was a girl, and my mother had the s**t kicked out of her, her self-esteem moved onto me," the actor bravely began. "I devalued myself and thought I wasn't worth it. I chose partners that mimicked my father. It was only when I was in an abusive relationship and blood squirted on the ceiling of my apartment, and I lost 80% of my hearing in my ear that I realized I have to break the cycle."
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
She was sued by John Ronan
Halle Berry is almost as well known for her high-profile romances as she is for making epic blockbuster movies. Over the years, she has been involved with some of the biggest names in sports, film, music, and the fashion industry. While most of her relationships have been with people in similar circles as the beautiful and talented actor, a few earlier boyfriends were not involved in the entertainment industry. Before Berry hit her stride and became one of the most famous actors in the world, she dated a Chicago-based dentist named John Ronan.
During Berry's first year as the wife to baseball great David Justice, Ronan popped back into Berry's life, and not in a good way. Per People, Ronan set his sights on suing his former (and now very famous) girlfriend to the tune of $80,000. He claimed to have loaned the sum to Berry between 1989 and 1991. Berry stood by her view on the matter, saying the money had been a gift. She revealed in a 1998 interview that when she caught wind of the issue, she found it laughable and never dreamed it would even make it to court. It did, in fact, make it to court, and while the judge ultimately threw the case out due to a bankruptcy blunder on the part of Ronan, Berry ended up paying $150,000 to defend herself in an $80,000 lawsuit.
Wesley Snipes and the rumors
When Halle Berry told the world she had been abused by a former boyfriend resulting in her hearing loss, people began to wonder which one of her former flames was responsible. People looked to her first husband, David Justice as the alleged abuser, but Justice took to Twitter (via Us Weekly), trying to clear his name of any alleged abuse. During his attempt at vindicating himself in another now-deleted post, he told the world that the person who did hurt Berry had been a former boyfriend who was big in the Hollywood scene. People started to wonder who this could be.
Many then looked at her former "Jungle Fever" costar and short-loved flame, Wesley Snipes. While Snipes has never commented on the alleged abuse, and Berry has never confirmed who was behind her hearing loss, people couldn't help but connect these allegations to other allegations involving Snipes and physical assault. (Snipes denies those allegations openly.)
We may never know if Snipes physically assaulted Berry, but according to the actor, his past is not his present. Following a stint in the clink, Snipes found a new perspective on life. He told The Guardian, "I hope I came out a better person. I came out a clearer person. Clearer on my values, clearer on my purpose ... and clearer on what I was going to do once I had my freedom back." So a changed man, yes. The question begs, changed from what?
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Christopher Williams was also a bust
In the early 90s, Halle Berry dated R&B singer Christopher Williams. Williams was another former boyfriend Berry fans pointed the finger at regarding her abuse allegations. Williams spoke out in an attempt to clear his name telling Eurweb (via E! News), "The stuff they wrote about [me] and Halle was totally false. They said something like I busted her eardrum, and I'm tired of it. I never said it [before], but I'm so tired of people thinking I'm the guy [who did it]. Wesley Snipes busted her eardrum, not me."
Decades after their relationship fizzled, Williams still has nothing but love for his former girlfriend. He discussed their year-and-a-half courtship and his admiration and respect for the acclaimed actor with "Hip Hollywood." He told interviewers he and Berry have always been cool, even when things became uncomfortable thanks to the abuse rumors swirling around. The singer said he was relieved when the rumors pertaining to him having any involvement in the eardrum-busting situation got cleared up on another network, and he continues to wish his ex nothing but the best.
Williams went on to say that the two met while her star was rising, and he was looking to switch gears musically. While they didn't work out romantically, he continues to think she is incredibly beautiful and talented, and even gushed over her precious baby, congratulating Berry on motherhood.
Divorce from David Justice
Halle Berry first saw David Justice during his appearance on "Rock and Jock." She thought him handsome and eloquent, yet kept things moving. Then a month later, an interviewer asked if Berry would sign an autograph for a friend, one David Justice. Berry suggested the interviewer give Justice her phone number instead. By the day's end, Berry was sure Justice was the one. One year later, the two were wed. In a 1998 interview, Berry described their year of marriage as one of the best of her life. The problem was all eyes were now on the beautiful couple, and the public pressure, along with demanding schedules and conflicting personality traits, affected the young pair, resulting in their divorce.
Justice later revealed to People that problems were abundant in the marriage. He claimed Berry was insecure. "I've never known a girl who could throw a tantrum like she does," the baseball great said. During their split, Berry obtained a restraining order, casting a shadow over Justice when Berry revealed an ex had allegedly abused her. Justice has openly denied any wrongdoing and claimed he stayed mum for years because he didn't have what he needed to fight the allegations. "As a baseball player back in those days, there were no publicists; I didn't have a team. Halle had managers, lawyers, publicists, etc. It was Team Halle versus me," he told People. Eventually, in the wake of his Twitter tirade (via Us Weekly), Justice thanked his ex for clearing his name of the alleged abuse.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Shemar Moore, the rebound guy
Shemar Moore is known for several things: his incredible good looks, his work on "The Young and the Restless" and "Criminal Minds" — and dating Halle Berry. Moore told BET that Berry "was the first woman to really knock my socks off. I fell hard for Halle. A lot of people now know we dated, but we had to keep it hush-hush at the time because she was fresh off her divorce from David Justice." Moore said that his relationship with Berry "was a necessary experience. It made me much stronger as a man, and knowing the caliber of woman I want in the future."
While Berry went on to wed again and have children, Moore has yet to find that one woman to settle down with. Here's hoping he someday lands that person who completes him, as love and family are priorities to the actor. He told Essence, "It's not that I don't want to find love, because I do. I want a partner in crime and a Bonnie to my Clyde. I've just been so focused on my career." Moore continued, "As great as I may think things are for me now, I know that my best is gonna come when I'm a husband and a father and continuing to follow my dreams. My grandma says don't rush it or force it, and the right woman is gonna show up when I least expect it. So, I'm waiting on her."
Eric Benét broke Halle Berry's heart
Halle Berry met Eric Benét in 1997, but it wasn't love at first sight. A year's worth of emails changed that, and Berry did eventually fall hard for the singer. Three years later, the pair got engaged at the Cleveland premiere of Berry's HBO film "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge." They were wed one year later, and Berry adopted Benét's daughter, making the three of them an instant family.
This marriage, like Berry's first one, would not have a happy ending to it. One year after taking their vows, rumors were already running rampant that there was trouble in paradise. Berry told Essence (via Entertainment Weekly), "The truth is that during the period of my most significant public success — the Academy Awards — my private life faced a staggering crisis."
The marital crisis turned out to be one Berry and Benét couldn't come back from. Murmurings of Benét's cheating proved true, as Berry revealed on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." As Berry prepped to sue the outlets claiming her husband was a cheater, Benét came clean to his then-wife. Berry was heartbroken, and while she tried to salvage what they had even after Benét's admission, the pair still went on to divorce. Berry was now 0 and 2, but wasn't about to pump the breaks on finding true love. As for Benét, he went on to wed the late musical genius Prince's ex, Manuela Testolini.
Gabriel Aubry and custody woes
In 2005, Berry met model Gabriel Aubry during a Versace campaign. Aubry's agent, Sean Patterson, spoke on the new couple to Access (via Today), "It was something that was completely unexpected, and he's just enjoying each day as it goes by, and he's very, very happy right now." Happy indeed. In 2008, People announced the beautiful couple had welcomed their daughter, Nahla, into the world. While Aubry and Berry never made things official at the altar, they seemed content in their little family. Berry couldn't help but share the love of her newfound role as mommy at Essence magazine's Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, per People. "I'm complete. I have more to offer my craft because [my daughter] makes me indelibly better every day."
Berry and Aubry loved their daughter, but that love wasn't enough to hold them together as a couple. Sadly, four years after falling for one another, they broke up. Unlike Halle's previous relationships, this one included a child; hence custody and child support issues would follow. Nearly a decade post-split, Berry was still going back and forth with her ex over everything from the child's haircare to the amount of money she owed him for support. Per The Sun, in 2021, she requested her payments be reduced from 16,000 to $3,800 a month. Her argument was able-bodied Aubry had been living off her success for long enough!
Oliver Martinez and a third failed marriage
With so many failed relationships and now difficulties in custody agreements, you'd think Halle Berry might call it a day on more marriages and more babies, but nope. Along comes actor Oliver Martinez. The two met while filming "Dark Tide," and their romance progressed quickly. Berry told In Style (via People), Martinez was a " silly, a clown, and very much the life of the party, which is good for someone like me."
A few years after meeting on set, the two were wed at Chateau des Conde in Vallery, France. Their marriage came on the heels of the couple announcing to the world via TMZ that they were expecting a son, Berry's second baby and Martinez's first. Little Maceo-Robert was born in October 2013 to his proud parents and eager big sister. Sadly, this little family would also become a split one as the marriage between Berry and Martinez only lasted two years.
Unlike the aftermath of Berry's relationship with Gabriel Aubry, life post-Martinez was far more amicable. Per TMZ, the two agreed on joint physical and legal custody of their son. According to People, Berry and Martinez even spent time together with their kids on vacation amidst divorce proceedings proving divorce doesn't always have to be ugly.
Love at last with Van Hunt
Halle Berry has accomplished so much in her half-century of life. The one thing that has always been left off that list of accomplishments is a stable and steady love the actor can wholeheartedly rely on. Could it be that she has finally found all her heart desires in musician Van Hunt? Berry posted a picture of herself wearing a Van Hunt t-shirt on her Instagram page along with the caption, "Now ya know." Fans of the actors immediately started speculating Berry was yet again in love.
Sources confirmed the romance to People, saying the two had been seeing each other for several months and that Hunt had already met Berry's children, Nahla and Maceo. Berry seemed to be smitten with her new man. She shared with the world just how amazing Hunt was when speaking to "Extra TV" at her "Bruised" premiere, where she made her directorial debut. Berry said, "When you're loved and supported and uplifted as a woman, everything changes. The day looks brighter, everything looks better, your opportunities seem limitless, and that's what's happened."
Here's hoping Berry has finally found the missing piece to her puzzle and that her pattern of heartbreak and loss has finally come to an end.