Quick Read
- David Justice revealed why his marriage to Halle Berry ended in 1997.
- He cited clashing lifestyles, busy careers, and his limited understanding of relationships.
- Justice admitted Berry proposed after five months of dating, which he accepted despite doubts.
- He believes therapy could have saved their marriage.
- Both have since moved on: Berry is dating Van Hunt, while Justice is married with three children.
More than 28 years after their marriage ended, former Major League Baseball (MLB) player David Justice has broken his silence about his divorce from Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry. In an August 7 appearance on Matt Barnes’ All the Smoke podcast, the 59-year-old athlete shared intimate details about the challenges that led to their 1997 divorce, shedding light on previously undisclosed aspects of their relationship.
The Early Days: A Whirlwind Romance
David Justice and Halle Berry’s relationship began in the early 1990s, culminating in a marriage in January 1993. However, their union was short-lived, lasting just four years before ending in divorce. Justice revealed that their romance moved at a rapid pace, which contributed to underlying issues. He disclosed that Berry proposed to him after only five months of dating—a proposal he accepted despite having reservations.
“She asked me to marry her after knowing me for five months,” Justice said during the podcast. “I said OK because I couldn’t say no. Who’s going to say no at that time? But honestly, I didn’t know if my heart was really into it.” According to Tribune, this uncertainty would later weigh heavily on their marriage.
Clashing Lifestyles and Expectations
Justice candidly discussed how his upbringing in the Midwest influenced his expectations of marriage. Coming from a traditional background, he envisioned a spouse who would embody certain domestic qualities, such as cooking and cleaning—attributes he felt Berry, a rising Hollywood star, did not possess. “I was young, and my knowledge and understanding of relationships wasn’t vast,” he admitted. “At that time, I was thinking, ‘If we have kids, is this the woman I want to have kids with?’ She didn’t cook, didn’t clean, didn’t really seem motherly, and that’s when issues started arising.”
Their careers also posed significant challenges. As Berry’s acting career soared, she frequently traveled for film shoots, leaving the couple with limited time together. Justice, who was also deeply engrossed in his MLB career, found the distance between them difficult to navigate. As reported by Yahoo News, Justice lamented that their busy schedules kept them apart for long stretches, exacerbating their differences.
The Role of Inexperience and Therapy
Justice admitted that his inexperience with relationships played a major role in the unraveling of their marriage. “I had only been in one real relationship before her,” he said, reflecting on the emotional immaturity he brought into their union. He also suggested that therapy could have been a game-changer for their relationship. “We honestly probably could have made it if I knew about therapy. If we knew about therapy, we probably could have made it,” he shared, according to Jang.
Despite the challenges, Justice emphasized that their split was not the result of any major conflict. “We never had any major issues like that. It’s just… we were young, and we didn’t know how to handle our differences,” he explained.
Life After Divorce
The couple officially separated in 1996, with their divorce finalized the following year. Since then, both have moved on to new chapters in their lives. Justice married Rebecca Villalobos in 2001, with whom he shares three children. Meanwhile, Berry has been involved in several high-profile relationships and is currently dating musician Van Hunt.
Berry has not publicly responded to Justice’s recent revelations. However, in a February 2025 interview on The Drew Barrymore Show, she spoke broadly about relationships, emphasizing the importance of leaving situations that no longer serve one’s well-being. “I’m not going to keep the wrong man,” she stated, underscoring her commitment to personal happiness and growth.
Though decades have passed since their divorce, Justice’s revelations provide a rare glimpse into the challenges of balancing love, career, and personal expectations. Their story serves as a reminder of the complexities of relationships, particularly in the public eye.
As both Justice and Berry continue to thrive in their respective lives, their shared history offers valuable lessons on communication, compatibility, and the importance of self-awareness in relationships.