Whenever the conversation turns to Halle Berry’s romantic life and family life, everything becomes a minefield. We had a few years-long respites while Halle and Olivier Martinez quietly worked out their divorce and custodial issues, but every so often, we would get some update about how awful the situation was behind-the-scenes. Well, last month, Olivier filed for emergency custody of their son Maceo and he also obtained a temporary restraining order against Halle. Olivier claims that Halle physically attacked Maceo (then just days away from turning 13) and insulted Olivier to Maceo. In the weeks that followed, Olivier and Halle’s lawyers have been battling it out in family court and in the press. Last week, Halle called Maceo a “coached and manipulated child” and tried, unsuccessfully, to block Maceo from testifying at a family court hearing. Well, now Page Six has sources claiming that Halle has trouble regulating her moods and that she “flies into a rage” sometimes. I guess Olivier’s PR is hard at work.

In [2002], Halle Berry made history as Hollywood’s first Black Best Actress Oscar winner — but her trailblazing career has often been overshadowed by her turbulent relationships and bitter legal battles. The 60-year-old actress is currently locked in a custody fight with ex-husband Olivier Martinez over their 13-year-old son, Maceo, after he sought sole legal custody and a domestic violence restraining order against her.

In court papers seen by Page Six earlier this month, Martinez, also 60, accused Berry of choking and physically abusing Maceo during an altercation at her Los Angeles home on Sept. 26. Berry and her legal team have strongly denied the allegations as “meritless and deliberately misleading.”

Now, a source who has known Berry for many years tells Page Six that the “Catwoman” star has a side rarely seen by the public — claiming her volatile moods have long concerned those in her orbit.

“Halle can be the loveliest human being you’ve ever met, then within seconds she’ll fly into a rage,” the source said.

“There is what I can only term as a dysregulation to her moods that many, many people in her world have witnessed. And while I personally have never seen her be like that with her children, the polarity of her moods are well known among her friends … I don’t think anyone in her life is immune to the mood swings.”

The source pointed to a series of incidents in Berry’s past, including a February 2000 hit-and-run in Hollywood. Berry ran a red light on Sunset Boulevard and crashed into a car driven by Hetal Raythatha. The collision left Berry with a deep gash to her forehead and she later claimed she suffered amnesia after hitting her head. Raythatha sustained a broken wrist and other injuries. Berry left the scene before police arrived, although investigators found no evidence that she was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. She was initially charged with a felony, which was later reduced to a misdemeanor for leaving the scene of an accident.

In May 2000, Berry pleaded no contest and was sentenced to three years of probation, fined $13,500 and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service. Raythatha subsequently sued Berry for negligence. The civil case was settled out of court in May 2001.

The source also recalled how Berry remained furious for years after co-star Robert Downey Jr. accidentally broke her arm while filming the 2003 thriller “Gothika.” Berry reportedly told friends she felt his apology was insincere.

“When you put all the pieces together you see there might be a mood issue happening,” the source said, while cautioning: “However, this doesn’t make her guilty of what she’s being accused of.”

Indeed, “Martinez has his own issues,” the source added.

[From Page Six]

Multiple things can be true at the same time: Halle has a terrible track record with men and the common denominator has always been Halle; Olivier is waging a PR and legal campaign to get full custody of his son; the “angry Black woman” racist dog-whistles are loud AF; the 2000 hit-and-run was horrible but it’s not indicative of any “rage issues” on Halle’s part. I really don’t know at this point, but I hope the family court deals with all of this fairly and that Maceo gets the help and support he needs.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.