Halle Berry Took 3-Year Break from Dating After Olivier Martinez Split: It Was a 'Sabbatical to Understand Me'

Mar. 15, 2025

Halle Berry on Aug. 12, 2024.Photo:Steve Granitz/FilmMagicHalle Berrytook time to figure herself out after her 2015splitfrom ex-husbandOlivier Martinez.InMarie Claire’s new cover story, the Oscar winner, 58, recalled taking a break from dating for about three years after she and Martinez, also 58, broke up, ending two years of marriage.TheNever Let Goactress called this period of time a “sabbatical to understand me,” during which she was reading, going to therapy, traveling to India and studying meditation.“I created my career. I was intentional about that. I knew what I was going to do, and I did it,” she said. “But I had never been that intentional with my relationships. I was loosey goosey with that. You have to be clear with the universe [or] any old thing will find you.”According toMarie Claire, Berry began writing “detailed lists of what she wanted and needed in a partner” during that time — and soon enough, hercurrent relationshipwith boyfriendVan Huntseemed to manifest itself.“The minute I started to feel like I understood myself and what I had been doing wrong, Van’s brother, who I had known for many years, came to me and said, ‘You should meet my brother,' ” she added.Halle Berry on the cover of Marie Claire.Yana Yatsuk/Marie ClaireNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Berry and musician Hunt, 54, first connected in 2020 and began speaking only over the phone for four months due to the pandemic, as shetoldAARPMagazineback in January 2022. The couplemade their relationship publicin September 2020 and have been going strong ever since.“It took me a minute to get it right,” Berry toldMarie Claireof her relationships. “But the nature of the way this happened, I have a real belief that this is it. This is my person.”Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez.Getty(2)Prior to Berry’s marriage to Martinez, she was previously married to former MLB player David Justice and then to singer-songwriter Eric Benét. She also dated model Gabriel Aubry, with whom she shares daughter Nahla Ariela Aubry, 16, in the 2000s.Berry and Martinezshare sonMaceo-Robert Martinez, 10; the former couple have beenengaged in court over custody issuesregarding their son in recent months.“They have very different parenting styles,” a source told PEOPLE of the former couple in August. “Co-parenting hasn’t been easy. Still, they both love Maceo and he’s amazing…. [He’s a] very focused student. Halle very much tries to keep his life private.“Never Let Gois in theaters Sept. 20.

Halle Berry on Aug. 12, 2024.Photo:Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Halle Berrytook time to figure herself out after her 2015splitfrom ex-husbandOlivier Martinez.InMarie Claire’s new cover story, the Oscar winner, 58, recalled taking a break from dating for about three years after she and Martinez, also 58, broke up, ending two years of marriage.TheNever Let Goactress called this period of time a “sabbatical to understand me,” during which she was reading, going to therapy, traveling to India and studying meditation.“I created my career. I was intentional about that. I knew what I was going to do, and I did it,” she said. “But I had never been that intentional with my relationships. I was loosey goosey with that. You have to be clear with the universe [or] any old thing will find you.”According toMarie Claire, Berry began writing “detailed lists of what she wanted and needed in a partner” during that time — and soon enough, hercurrent relationshipwith boyfriendVan Huntseemed to manifest itself.“The minute I started to feel like I understood myself and what I had been doing wrong, Van’s brother, who I had known for many years, came to me and said, ‘You should meet my brother,' ” she added.Halle Berry on the cover of Marie Claire.Yana Yatsuk/Marie ClaireNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Berry and musician Hunt, 54, first connected in 2020 and began speaking only over the phone for four months due to the pandemic, as shetoldAARPMagazineback in January 2022. The couplemade their relationship publicin September 2020 and have been going strong ever since.“It took me a minute to get it right,” Berry toldMarie Claireof her relationships. “But the nature of the way this happened, I have a real belief that this is it. This is my person.”Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez.Getty(2)Prior to Berry’s marriage to Martinez, she was previously married to former MLB player David Justice and then to singer-songwriter Eric Benét. She also dated model Gabriel Aubry, with whom she shares daughter Nahla Ariela Aubry, 16, in the 2000s.Berry and Martinezshare sonMaceo-Robert Martinez, 10; the former couple have beenengaged in court over custody issuesregarding their son in recent months.“They have very different parenting styles,” a source told PEOPLE of the former couple in August. “Co-parenting hasn’t been easy. Still, they both love Maceo and he’s amazing…. [He’s a] very focused student. Halle very much tries to keep his life private.“Never Let Gois in theaters Sept. 20.

Halle Berrytook time to figure herself out after her 2015splitfrom ex-husbandOlivier Martinez.

InMarie Claire’s new cover story, the Oscar winner, 58, recalled taking a break from dating for about three years after she and Martinez, also 58, broke up, ending two years of marriage.

TheNever Let Goactress called this period of time a “sabbatical to understand me,” during which she was reading, going to therapy, traveling to India and studying meditation.

“I created my career. I was intentional about that. I knew what I was going to do, and I did it,” she said. “But I had never been that intentional with my relationships. I was loosey goosey with that. You have to be clear with the universe [or] any old thing will find you.”

According toMarie Claire, Berry began writing “detailed lists of what she wanted and needed in a partner” during that time — and soon enough, hercurrent relationshipwith boyfriendVan Huntseemed to manifest itself.

“The minute I started to feel like I understood myself and what I had been doing wrong, Van’s brother, who I had known for many years, came to me and said, ‘You should meet my brother,' ” she added.

Halle Berry on the cover of Marie Claire.Yana Yatsuk/Marie Claire

Yana Yatsuk/Marie Claire

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Berry and musician Hunt, 54, first connected in 2020 and began speaking only over the phone for four months due to the pandemic, as shetoldAARPMagazineback in January 2022. The couplemade their relationship publicin September 2020 and have been going strong ever since.

“It took me a minute to get it right,” Berry toldMarie Claireof her relationships. “But the nature of the way this happened, I have a real belief that this is it. This is my person.”

Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez.Getty(2)

Getty(2)

Prior to Berry’s marriage to Martinez, she was previously married to former MLB player David Justice and then to singer-songwriter Eric Benét. She also dated model Gabriel Aubry, with whom she shares daughter Nahla Ariela Aubry, 16, in the 2000s.

Berry and Martinezshare sonMaceo-Robert Martinez, 10; the former couple have beenengaged in court over custody issuesregarding their son in recent months.

“They have very different parenting styles,” a source told PEOPLE of the former couple in August. “Co-parenting hasn’t been easy. Still, they both love Maceo and he’s amazing…. [He’s a] very focused student. Halle very much tries to keep his life private.”

Never Let Gois in theaters Sept. 20.

source: people.com