(FandomWire) - Halle Berry once deemed having to pay child support as “extortion“, especially when it comes to the man who allegedly called her a racial slur during their relationship.
Halle Berry and her ex, Gabriel Aubry, met in 2006 during the opening of a Versace store in Manhattan. Two years later, the couple was blessed with their daughter, Nahla. However, their love story came to an end in 2010 as they went their separate ways (via PEOPLE).
At the time, the couple was in the midst of negotiations as they attempted to work out a custody agreement for their two-year-old daughter. Eventually, it came to the conclusion that the X-Men actress would have to pay a hefty sum to her ex in child support.
In 2021, it seemed that Berry was done with the unfairness of the situation, according to her Instagram post. Without much explanation, the mother of two posted a quote on her page that read, “Women don’t owe you sh*t“.
While her comments seem to be deleted now, Page Six reported back then that Berry had replied to some of her trolls under the post, talking about everything from her relationship to child support.
When one commenter called her out for not being able to keep a man, she replied, “Who said I wanted to keep them? I’m all about living your best life. If you make a wrong move, course correct and re-spin and start again!“
Things took a turn when a follower claimed that Berry, who is now dating Van Hunt, had to pay child support to a man who called her the n-word. She replied, “And it takes great strength eryday (sic) to pay it. And BTW it’s wrong, and it’s extortion.“
Moreover, court documents (via Newsone) reveal that Aubry had called her a “ghetto n*****” during an argument. A witness said in court, “He screamed that she was a ghetto n***** and threw a chair against the wall. Halle was shaken and sobbing.”
How Much Child Support Does Halle Berry Pay?
Halle Berry has to pay child support to not only Gabriel Aubry, but also her third husband, Olivier Martinez. Let’s take a look at what this costs the actress, who is currently worth $90 million (via CNW).
For starters, Berry initially had to pay Aubry a whopping $16,000 per month as child support for Nahla. Fortunately for her, the court provided her with relief when the amount was cut down to $8,000 per month (via Yahoo).
As per E! News, the original amount was a result of Berry’s income during the first nine months of 2012: $4.7 million. On the other hand, Aubry was making only $192,921. She was also to pay for Nahla’s private school tuition as well as her ex’s legal fees. The two were to split the child’s health care expenses.
The payment was revised in 2021, and the court ordered her to pay the remainder of the retroactive amount of $85,000.
Moving on to French actor Martinez, she also has to pay him $8,000 per month for child support. The two exes share a son, Maceo, who was born in 2013. According to Forbes, the former couple was granted joint legal and physical custody of Maceo, and Berry was ordered to pay Martinez 4.3% of any annual income she makes over $2 million. The actress also pays for her son’s private school tuition, extracurricular activities, health insurance, and a therapist.
While a total of $16,000 per month seems a lot, actor Brendan Fraser had to pay $75,000 per month to her ex-wife, Afton Smith, as alimony and child support.
When Halle Berry Accused Her Ex of Child Neglect
Back in 2011, TMZ reported that Halle Berry had returned to family court, claiming that Aubry had violated the custody agreement they had over Nahla. She allegedly came armed with a lengthy court document accusing Aubry of putting their daughter at risk.
As per sources who opened up to the outlet, Berry was concerned for their daughter when she remained in Aubry’s care. While the sources didn’t specify what the Canadian model had done, TMZ was told it had something to do with the requirements of the agreement.
The documents also claimed that Aubry had endangered Nahla’s safety while on an overseas vacation. Later in 2014, Berry dragged her ex back to court, accusing him of straightening and highlighting the young girl’s hair when she was in his care (via E! News). Berry claimed that Aubry was trying to make Nahla appear less African-American.
Do you agree with Berry when she said she doesn’t owe anyone anything? Let us know in the comments section below.
By Mishkaat Khan - Senior Writer
November 25, 2025
