January 17, 2026
David Justice Recalls Why He and Halle Berry Ended Their Marriage


David Justice is opening up about the โ€œissuesโ€ that led to his split from ex-wife Halle Berry.

During an Aug. 7 interview on Matt Barnesโ€™ โ€œAll the Smokeโ€ podcast, the former pro baseball star, 59, said that a few months after he and Berry tied the knot in January 1993, he began considering the idea of starting family โ€” which is when his doubts about the coupleโ€™s future kicked in.

โ€œMy knowledge and my understanding, my wisdom around relationships just wasnโ€™t vast,โ€ Justice said. โ€œSo, Iโ€™m looking at my mom โ€” and Iโ€™m a Midwest guy โ€” so, in my mind, Iโ€™m thinking a wife, at that time, should cook, clean โ€”ย traditional, you know?โ€

Halle Berry and David Justice during "Sunset Boulevard" Los Angeles Premiere at Shubert Theatre - Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California, United States.
Halle Berry and David Justice were married from 1993 until 1997.Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

Justice said, at the time, he also had doubts about Berry being the right kind of mom for his children.

โ€œThen Iโ€™m thinking, โ€˜OK, if we have kids, is this the woman I want to have kids with and build a family with?โ€™โ€ Justice continued. โ€œAt that time, as a young guy โ€” she donโ€™t cook, donโ€™t clean, donโ€™t really seem, like, motherly. And then we start having issues.โ€

Justice recalled that Berry, who turns 59 on Aug. 14, proposed to him about five months after their first date. โ€œI said OK, but I donโ€™t know if my heart was really into it. But I didnโ€™t want to make her feel bad and say no,โ€ he said.

โ€œI was just in the moment. It caught me off guard,โ€ he added. โ€œBut I was like, โ€˜Cool. We get along. We vibing.โ€™โ€

David Justice and Rebecca Justice arrive at the 22nd Annual Harold and Carole Pump Foundation Gala at The Beverly Hilton on August 19, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California.
Justice and his second wife, Rebecca Justice, tied the knot in 2001 and share three children. Tiffany Rose / Getty Images for Harold & Carole Pump Foundation

The former Atlanta Braves outfielder said he and the โ€œX-Menโ€ franchise star ultimately parted ways in 1996 because they spent too much โ€œtime apart.โ€ They finalized their divorce the following year.

โ€œShe was doing movies in this country, that country. And we honestly probably could have made it if I knew about therapy,โ€ he explained.

Justice went on to marry his second wife, Rebecca Villalobos. The couple walked down the aisle in 2001 and share three children.

Berry tied the knot two more times โ€” first to musician Eric Benรฉt, to whom she was married from 2001 to 2005, and later to actor Oliver Martinez. Her third marriage lasted from 2013 to 2016. The mom of two shares a son, Maceo, 11, with Martinez and a daughter, Nahla, 17, with ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry.

In September 2020, Berry went public with her romance with musician Van Hunt.

Halle Berry and Van Hunt attend  attends the "The Phoenician Scheme" red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2025 in Cannes, France.
Berry and her musician boyfriend Van Hunt walk the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025Ernesto Ruscio / Getty Images

โ€œI think everybodyโ€™s been really happy, at least for me personally, people have been like, โ€˜You finally found … !โ€™ Iโ€™ve always wanted what we have,โ€ Berry said in June 2025 during a joint appearance with Hunt on TODAY with Jenna & Friends.

She added, โ€œI always saw myself in a committed, loving relationship with like my best friend, someone that I respect and I love.โ€

Backstage, Hunt told TODAY.com he’d popped the question to Berry in the past and was still waiting on an answer.

โ€œItโ€™s just out there floating. You know, maybe you can encourage her,” the musician joked.

On her end, Berry said she was in no hurry to rush back up the aisle.

โ€œWell, Iโ€™ve been married three times. Van has been married once, and so no, we donโ€™t feel like we have to get married to validate our love in any way. We donโ€™t,โ€ she explained.

โ€œBut I think we will get married just because, out of the people Iโ€™ve been married to, this is the person I should have married,โ€ she added.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *