Halle Berry, 59, has hit back at her ex-husband David Justice after he suggested that she "didn't seem motherly."
The actress, known for her roles in Monster’s Ball and Die Another Day, shared her response with her followers after the comment sparked a wave of attention.
Berry, who shares two children—Nahla, 16, with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, and Maceo, 11, with ex-husband Olivier Martinez—has always been open about her dedication to her family. The criticism from Justice, who was married to Berry from 1993 to 1997, came after he made public comments questioning her approach to motherhood.
Justice, 59, recently opened up about the reasons behind their split during an appearance on Matt Barnes’ “All the Smoke” podcast.
Reflecting on their early days, the former athlete admitted that when the Catwoman star asked him to marry her after only five months of dating, he felt pressured to say yes.
“She asked me to marry her after knowing me for five months,” he said. “I said, ‘OK,’ because I couldn’t say no. Who’s going to say no at that time?”
He added: “I don’t know if my heart was really into it, but I didn’t want to make her feel bad and say no, you know, or [if] I was just in the moment.”
Justice explained that his traditional Midwestern upbringing shaped his expectations for a wife and mother - expectations he felt Berry didn’t meet at the time.
"My knowledge and my understanding, my wisdom around relationships just wasn't vast," he shared. “I’m looking at my mom - and I’m a Midwest guy. So, in my mind, I’m thinking a wife at that time should cook, clean, [be] traditional, you know?” he said.
“Then I’m thinking, ‘OK, if we have kids, is this the woman I want to have kids with and build a family with?’ At that time, as a young guy - she don’t cook, don’t clean, don’t really seem like motherly, and then we start having issues,” Justice added.
Halle Berry’s Fiery Response
Berry didn’t hold back when responding to Justice’s remarks. She posted bikini photos of herself on Instagram, showing off her confidence and resilience. Along with the pictures, she shared a caption that made her feelings clear: “Phew…! cooking, cleaning and mothering.”
In the post, it was evident that the actress wasn’t letting the criticism affect her. Her followers quickly rallied around her, praising her for standing her ground and embracing her life as a mother.
A History of Scrutiny
Berry’s relationships, including her marriage to Justice, have always been under the public eye. Despite this, she has remained focused on raising her children and ensuring they have a supportive, loving environment. Justice’s remarks on her "motherly" role seem to have fueled a broader conversation about what it means to be a good parent, and how societal expectations often clash with personal realities.
Berry's response was a reminder that she knows what works for her family, regardless of outside opinions.