Halle Berry, the acclaimed actress known for her role as Catwoman, is preparing to marry for the fourth time. On Thursday’s episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Berry revealed she is engaged to her Grammy-winning boyfriend Van Hunt, 55, after five years together. While she proudly showed off her distinctive engagement ring, the couple has yet to set a wedding date. This upcoming marriage marks another chapter in Berry’s complex romantic history.
Overview of Berry’s Past Relationships and Marriages
Berry’s previous unions have been marked by both high-profile romance and public difficulties. Her stints with notable figures from the worlds of sports, music, and film ended amid heartbreak and legal battles. Now a mother of two, Berry faces the challenge of balancing new love while managing ongoing custody disputes. Her journey through multiple relationships highlights both personal triumphs and setbacks.
Marriage to Olivier Martinez and Custody Conflicts
Berry’s marriage to French actor Olivier Martinez began with promise but ended in contentious custody battles. They met in 2010 while filming Dark Tide in South Africa and wed in 2013, the same year their son Maceo Robert was born. Their split came in 2016, but their divorce proceedings dragged on until 2023. Since then, Berry has pursued sole custody of Maceo, arguing he struggles academically and needs dedicated care.
Berry claimed Martinez was not fully attentive to their son’s challenges, which include ADHD and mild dyslexia. She accused him of being either “oblivious” or “carelessly disregarding” Maceo’s condition, alleging these factors make Martinez unfit as a custodian. Despite ongoing tensions, a judge in October 2024 ruled in Berry’s favor by ordering Martinez to participate in co-parenting therapy, though Martinez had already complied prior to the ruling.
Legal documents revealed Berry has spent over $200,000 on custody-related fees, including an $80,000 voluntary contribution to Martinez’s legal costs. She also alleged that Martinez relied on child support payments for his own financial needs.
Martinez’s relationship with Berry also intersected with her history with ex-partner Gabriel Aubry. The two men were involved in a notorious physical altercation during Thanksgiving 2012, after Aubry dropped off Berry’s daughter Nahla at Berry’s Los Angeles home. Authorities intervened, with Aubry receiving a restraining order after the incident.
Relationship with Gabriel Aubry and Custody Battles Over Nahla
Berry dated model Gabriel Aubry from 2005 until 2010. While they never married, they share custody of daughter Nahla Ariela, who is now 17 years old. Their separation led to lengthy and costly legal battles concerning custody and child support. When their conflict reached Los Angeles Superior Court in 2014, Berry was required to pay Aubry $16,000 per month along with a lump sum of $115,000. She denounced the payment as “extortion” but later succeeded in reducing the monthly amount to $8,000 in 2021. Additional financial obligations require Berry to pay Aubry 4.3% of any income exceeding $1.95 million annually.
Despite their difficulties, Aubry expressed positive sentiments after their split, calling Berry
“one of the most special and beautiful people”
he has known, and stated they would continue to have love and respect as co-parents. However, tensions reignited when Berry attempted to relocate to France with Nahla to live with Olivier Martinez, leading to further legal disputes.
Earlier Marriages and Their Challenges
Marriage to Eric Benét
Berry’s second marriage was to singer Eric Benét, lasting from 2001 to 2005 following two years of dating. The marriage ended amid public speculation tied to Benét’s reported sex addiction, which he denied. Berry addressed the subject indirectly during a 2023 podcast, stating,
“I had one husband who said he was a sex addict, but I don’t f***ing believe that s***.”
Their marriage troubles had been apparent well before their separation, with Berry releasing a joint statement in 2003 describing their need for time apart to reflect on their relationship.
Benét himself denied the addiction claims in a 2004 ABC News interview, describing his behavior as mistakes made during a challenging period rather than the result of addiction.
First Marriage to David Justice
Berry’s earliest marriage was to former Major League Baseball player David Justice. The two met in 1992 during an MTV celebrity baseball game and married on New Year’s Day 1993. The marriage ended three years later, with their divorce finalized in 1997. Berry later opened up about the emotional toll of their separation, revealing in 2007 that she had battled depression and attempted suicide following the split. She described having to rebuild her self-worth, vowing never to be a coward again.
Justice has reflected on their failed marriage in candid terms, sharing on the All The Smoke podcast that early on he questioned whether Berry was the partner he wanted for child-rearing. He admitted to holding traditional views on marriage and roles within the home and acknowledged that their young ages and lack of relationship experience contributed to their challenges. Justice said,
“We honestly probably could have made it if I knew about therapy.”
Berry responded humorously on Instagram to his comments about cooking and cleaning, posting a bikini photo with Van Hunt and captioning it, “Phew…! cooking, cleaning and mothering.”
The Beginning of Berry’s Relationship with Van Hunt
Berry first connected with Van Hunt in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic through his brother. They exchanged texts and phone calls for several months before going on their first date. Hunt, a neo soul musician, proposed in June 2023, a fact Berry confirmed while acknowledging she initially hesitated to say “yes.” She cited the practical benefits of marriage, including legal protections related to health, as influencing her decision to accept.
Berry joked on Jimmy Fallon’s show about confusion surrounding the proposal, clarifying that she never said no and that they simply have not planned the wedding date. She also showed off the striking engagement ring, featuring a large center diamond set within a square-cut design on a substantial gold band.
Berry emphasized the strength of her current relationship, disputing past media portrayals that questioned her romantic stability.
“After my third divorce, people started to say, ‘What’s wrong with her? She’s crazy. She can’t keep a man,’”
she recalled.
“I pretty much stopped doing interviews for a decade because I got tired of the same old story. It was always: ‘Poor Halle — Unlucky in Love Again.’”
She pushed back against this narrative, saying,
“Who says I want to keep a man if he’s not the right man? I’m in the best relationship I have ever had.”
Van Hunt has an adult son named Drake from a previous relationship, completing their blended family dynamics as Berry embarks on this next step.
The Significance of Berry’s Fourth Marriage
Halle Berry’s announcement of her fourth marriage signals a hopeful new chapter amid years of romantic struggles, legal battles, and personal growth. Her journey reflects not only the challenges of maintaining relationships in the public eye but also the complexities of co-parenting and protecting her children’s well-being.
As Berry moves forward with Van Hunt, this engagement underscores her desire for stability and partnership on her terms, refusing to conform to outside pressures about her relationship history. The upcoming wedding will likely attract considerable attention, given Berry’s prominence and her candidness about her past. It remains to be seen how she will navigate the intersection of personal happiness and ongoing custody matters.
