“Our sources say Olivier did give Halle the ring as a gift, but it positively is not a symbol of getting engaged,” TMZ reported. However, the couple is in a “committed relationship,” the source said, and marriage “could be in the cards.”
Berry and Martinez began dating on the set of “Dark Tide” in 2010, and in the subsequent year and change have been spotted together on red carpets and spending plenty of quality time. And family time too! When pictures surfaced of Martinez and Nahla Berry, Halle’s adorable 3-year old daughter, goofing off at the beach, it was obvious this was more than a made-for-publicity Hollywood romance. Halle was clearly serious about Olivier.
For totally selfish reasons, I’m a little disappointed that wedding bells aren’t in the immediate future. I was anticipating another celebrity Wednesday Bridal Bliss. But I also recall when Berry divorced Eric Benet and famously vowed never to marry again. And I remember when Berry, shortly after her very public breakup with Gabriel Aubry (Nahla’s father), told Vogue, “I’m not done with love, but I refuse to settle. I am a hopeless romantic. And I won’t stop till I get it right.”
Berry’s been married twice before, first to baseball star David Justice and second to R&B soul singer Benet, who recently celebrated the birth of his second daughter with his wife Manuela. When rumors of Berry’s pending nuptials hit the news last week, most people reacted with “Congratulations!” but some folks took Berry to task for heading down the aisle a third time. A few even accused her of “destroying the sanctity of marriage” by attempting to take on yet a third husband.
In several very intimate interviews, Berry’s been the first to admit that she hasn’t always made the best choices when it comes to relationships. But who among us has? Still, I think her optimistic outlook, despite what she’s been through — alleged physical abuse and reported infidelity – is the right way to go.
There are few things more prone to make a woman bitter than a series of relationships that don’t pan out as we dreamed. Many women have been through less and deduced that a happily-ever-after-if-we-really-work-hard-on-it was not in their cards, or anyone else’s. Somehow Berry’s managed to keep hope alive, and for that I commend her. Whether she has a ring on it or not, as long as she’s happy, that’s good enough for me.
Demetria L. Lucas is the author of “A Belle in Brooklyn: The Go-to Girl for Advice on Living Your Best Single Life” (Atria) in stores now. Follow her on Twitter @abelleinbk