Halle Berry's History of Rocky Romances
(Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
For years after stunning, Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry divorced for the second time, she vowed that she’d never marry again. She eventually did it anyway, swapping vows with French actor Olivier Martinez in July 2013. Two years later, the union is expected to end with exactly the thing she’d hope to avoid: another divorce.
Berry herself has lamented her many public breakups — mostly with other actors — that have not always ended well. Back in 1996, a People magazine reporter wrote that the star had been on the receiving end of manipulation and deceit in relationships. Seven years later, the same publication wrote that, for years, Berry had been telling journalists that her bad choices in men were “a self-destructive reaction to her father.” Berry has noted that her father was an alcoholic who beat her mother and left home when she was 10.
Sadly, many of the 49-year-old's romances have had unhappy endings, too.
Related: Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez Split: What Went Wrong?
Chapter 1: No One Special
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As an actress breaking into the entertainment industry, Berry had no trouble finding someone to take her out on Saturday nights… or any night for that matter. The former pageant queen was romantically linked to actor Kevin Costner, New Kids on the Block member Danny Wood, and reportedly her Boomerang co-star Eddie Murphy by the time that movie hit theaters in 1992.
Her most significant love during that time was actor Wesley Snipes, although it wasn’t all hearts and flowers. A production assistant from Berry’s 1991 movie Strictly Business told People that Berry was “crying all the time” while on set. Berry later revealed that while making the film The Last Boy Scout in that same year, a boyfriend who was well-known in Hollywood punctured an ear drum during a beating, leaving her with just 20 percent of hearing in her left ear.
R&B singer Christopher Williams, Berry’s boyfriend of more than a year around that time, later pointed the finger at Snipes rather than himself, although Berry has never publicly named her abuser.
Chapter 2: David Justice
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A few months later, Berry met MLB player David Justice in a story cute enough for any rom-com. She first saw him on TV playing in a 1992 charitable baseball game on MTV, and soon after, a reporter from Justice’s hometown of Cincinnati asked for a photo of Berry for the baseballer, since he was a fan. Berry then sent her phone number back to Justice, and they were soon engaged in a four-hour phone conversation. Another six months went by, and they were engaged in a different way. The couple married on Jan. 1, 1993.
They had a change of heart three years later; Berry filed for divorce in April 1996, sparking an ugly split. She asked for and received a restraining order against him that called for him to stay 500 yards away from her. She later revealed to Parade magazine that the experience left her contemplating suicide.
"I was sitting in my car, and I knew the gas was coming when I had an image of my mother finding me,” she told the magazine. “She sacrificed so much for her children, and to end my life would be an incredibly selfish thing to do. It was all about a relationship. My sense of worth was so low. I promised myself I would never be a coward again."
Chapter 3: Eric Benét
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Berry briefly dated actor Shemar Moore following her split, and then was on to another singer, Eric Benét. She met him at one of his concerts in 1997 and felt he was different than many of her exes. He’s a "very kind, sensitive, gentle soul,” the star reportedly told Vogue the year after their 2001 wedding.
Less than a year later, a tabloid reported that Benét had had an affair with a former lover, which led to him checking into rehab for sex addiction. Berry was supportive for a while, but she ended it in October 2003. “Eric and I have had marital problems for some time now and have tried to work things out,” she explained in a statement. “However, at this point, I feel we need time apart to reevaluate our union."
She gave her final evaluation of their marriage in that Parade interview: “really horrific.”
Chapter 4: Gabriel Aubry
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Berry’s next notable romance was with the 10-years-younger model Gabriel Aubry in 2005. The two met while filming for Versace and after three years together, welcomed baby girl Nahla. Still, she didn’t renege on her pledge not to walk down the aisle again.
It turned out to be a smart move, since the couple split in 2010. Their custody fight over their little girl was nasty, with public battles over everything from Nahla’s haircuts to the amount Berry was paying in child support. The climax came on Thanksgiving 2012, after he was found to be the attacker in a brawl with Berry’s new love as he picked up his then 4-year-old daughter. Aubry was hospitalized after the scuffle. Within days, Berry reached an agreement with him on custody.
Chapter 5: Olivier Martinez
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While filming the 2010 movie Dark Tide, Berry once again hooked up with one of her co-stars. She and the French actor Olivier Martinez stepped out in public together by 2011 and were engaged by January 2012. They said “I do” on July 2013 in France, where Berry and Martinez reportedly wanted to move with Nahla. They welcomed a son, Maceo, in October 2013.
“I’m very proud of [Olivier],” she gushed to Extra in 2014. “I think he’s delicious.”
The story’s a little different now. On Tuesday, the couple issued a statement announcing their plans to divorce. So what exactly went wrong? A source tells Yahoo Celebrity that the relationship “just ran its course.” The source added, “Think about it, they met and fell in love on set when they could see each other and work together every day. Unfortunately, spending that kind of time together isn’t something you can get used to when you are in this business. It took its toll.”
To be continued…
