Halle Berry is taking her ex to court for making racial slurs towards their daughter

Los Angeles - Gabriel Aubry made "completely and totally unacceptable" racial slurs against Halle Berry, a court has been told.

The 48-year-old actress, who dated the French-Canadian model between 2005 and 2010, has taken her former lover to court, claiming he straightened the naturally curly hair of their daughter Nahla - who was born in 2008 - and lightened it over the past 12 months.

A source close to Halle also told MailOnline that Gabriel had used racially abusive language towards their daughter, adding: "Halle is a great mom, she wants to keep Nahla on an even keel.

"Halle kept asking and asking Gabriel about Nahla's hair and he kept denying it.

"What does this say to a six year old who's half black? Her father is denying her identity.

"Halle then filed the court papers and Nahla's curls came back."

In her testimony to the court, Halle said: "I strongly feel that Gabriel's same underlying attitude is at the root in the changes, which only he could have been causing to our daughter's hair."

Since splitting from Gabriel, Halle has married French film actor Olivier Martinez, with whom she has a son, Maceo.