It Only Took Halle Berry & Olivier Martinez 8 Years to Finalise Divorce

Celebrity divorces offer real-life drama that no TV show can match. Perhaps this is why they are so fascinating to follow. And, however shameful it is to admit, the messier a divorce is, the more interest the public takes in it.

Consider Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner's ongoing legal battle. After nineteen years of marriage, Baumgartner filed for divorce earlier this year. Meanwhile, we are still learning juicy details about their separation. But their marital drama pales in comparison to Halle Berry's eight-year-long divorce from Oliver Martinez.

The first African-American actress to win an Academy Award for Best Actress has had precious little luck in love. Halle suffered physical abuse from one of her boyfriends, whose name she never disclosed, before her first marriage to David Justice in 1993, which ended in divorce in 1997.

In 2001, Berry married Eric Benet. Their divorce was finalised in 2005. Later that year, she began dating Gabriel Aubry, with whom she subsequently had a daughter, Nahla, in 2008 – the girl is now all grown up and taller than her famous mother. In 2010, however, the couple separated, and a well-publicised custody battle over their daughter ensued. Olivier Martinez, whom Berry started dating at the time, was directly involved in the legal proceedings.

Reportedly, he had a physical altercation with Aubry, whom he allegedly threatened to get him to sign custody papers that would allow Berry to move their daughter to France with Martinez. Both Aubry and Martinez filed for restraining orders, which didn't prevent Halle from marrying Olivier in July 2013 and giving birth to his son in October of the same year.

In 2015, however, the two decided to call it quits. While it was initially reported that their divorce was finalised in 2016, it turns out the process was completed only this year. According to the court documents, they will share custody of their son, Maceo. Furthermore, Martinez is entitled to $8,000 a month in child support plus 4.3% of the actress's income above $2 million.

Halle Berry's fans sympathise with the actress, expressing astonishment at her lawyers' incompetence.

'Her lawyers are HORRIBLE!!!! She has had to pay EVERY man she's been in a serious relationship with somehow… Just Saying,' a YouTuber commented.

Others are shocked by how long the legal process took. Their amazement is understandable – after all, an eight-year-long divorce is something no one would wish for. So, let's put it this way: all's well that ends…

Source: YouTube.