She Never Cooked or Cleaned: Halle Berry’s Ex Speaks Out on What Ended Their Marriage, and Fans are Stunned

David Justice and Halle Berry married in 1993 and divorced in 1997. Recently, Justice spoke up about their divorce. In an interview, he shared his perspective on why their marriage ended, and his comments about their relationship quickly sparked a wave of reactions across social media.

He openly shared his expectations of a wife.

He openly shared his expectations of a wife: “She doesn’t cook, doesn’t clean, doesn’t really seem like motherly. Is this the woman to have kids with and build a family with?” And seeing that phrase, the internet quickly reacted:

• So, according to him, he intentionally fumbled one of the most legendarily beautiful, interesting, and magnetic women of the last century because he wasn’t able to clean up after himself or make himself a sandwich. And we’re supposed to think that’s her fault?
• “I wanted someone just like a traditional homemaker from the Midwest, so I married Hollywood superstar Halle Berry, and when she didn’t make me a tater tot hotdish, we started having issues.”
• Then why did he marry her? People with money don’t do those things.
• Cooking and cleaning are basic skills that functioning adults do every day for survival and sanitation. Has nothing to do with being “motherly.” He just wants a maid and someone to take care of his offspring.
• If she’s a famous actor, and he’s a professional baseball player, why do you need her to cook and clean if you can afford a chef with maids????
• If you’re over the age of 18, you are most definitely capable of cooking and cleaning for yourself! It is not a woman’s job or responsibility to make sure you’re well-fed and clean. You’re her man, not her child :)

As the interview continued, Justice went on to explain more.

He admitted that his mother played a significant role in how he saw his wife, “So, I’m looking at my mom, and I’m a Midwest guy. So, I’m thinking a wife at that time should cook, clean.”

He added that at the time of their relationship, he had little experience in romantic partnerships, and his understanding of what makes a marriage work was quite limited. He confessed, “I was young and had only been, honestly, in one real relationship before her. My knowledge and my understanding, my wisdom around relationships just wasn’t vast.”

In February 1996, David told his wife Halle Berry that he “couldn’t do that anymore.”

However, in the interview, Justice admitted, “If we knew about therapy, we probably could have made it.”

Justice ended this part of the interview saying that he now believes that Berry truly loved him, and he acknowledges the hurt he caused her. “Now that I’ve gotten a lot older, and I look back, I’m like ’No, that girl really did love me,’” he said, adding, “Imagine if you really love somebody, and they tell you they want to break up and there ain’t nothing you can say to get them back. That had to be tough on her.”

He went on to express that he didn’t handle the breakup well. “When I left her, I didn’t talk to her anymore. Like, I didn’t even ease out. I could have massaged that better,” he reflected.

Those fans who watched the interview until the end agreed on one thing.

• David might be a bad guy, but he is acknowledging his mindset was immature.
• This quote makes him sound like he was looking for something else when, really, the situation was a lot more nuanced.

• I don’t think that was the point of the interview, though. I think it was about him acknowledging areas where things didn’t go well for him, and maybe some of the reasons that he contributed to that.

Halle Berry claps back at her ex-husband’s remarks regarding their marriage’s breakup.

Halle Berry herself seemed unbothered by the whole debate. With her witty Instagram post—"Phew...! Cooking, cleaning, and mothering"—she reminded everyone that she’s more than capable of owning the narrative. It was a lighthearted way of shutting down old expectations while showing she’s moved far beyond them.

What do you think—was her response the perfect way to handle it?

On the other side of the spotlight, Princess Catherine recently made a public appearance that touched many. She planted a rose named in her honor and spoke openly about the challenges she’s faced since her cancer treatment, giving a heartfelt reminder of strength and resilience in a very different kind of journey.