Halle Berry has accused her ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry of trying to change the appearance of their daughter and make her look white.
The Hollywood actress claims her former partner straightened six-year-old Nahla's naturally curly hair and highlighted it to make her look less African-American.
In a court hearing yesterday, a judge ruled that neither parent - who have joint legal custody - can change Nahla's natural hair texture or colour.
Halle said in the court documents: "I want both Gabriel and I to make decisions together that affect our daughter, her growth, her development and her general welfare.
"I continue to hope that Gabriel and I can find a way to work together to be successful co-parents.
"It was with regret that I concluded that I had to seek the court's intervention on these issues, but until Gabriel recognises the meaning of joint legal custody and how it is implemented, it appears that the court will be my only resort to safeguard Nahla's best interests."
Halle and Gabriel split in 2010 after dating for four years.
Halle told Ebony magazine in 2011 that she wanted her child to make her own mind about how she perceives herself.
Halle - who is the daughter of a white mother and a black father - said: "I'm not going to put a label on it. I had to decide for myself, and that's what she's going to have to decide - how she identifies herself in the world. And I think, largely, that will be based on how the world identifies her. That's how I identified myself.
"But I feel like she's black. I'm black and I'm her mother, and I believe in the one-drop theory."
Halle is also seeking to decrease the child support she gives to Aubry, from $16,000 to $3,800 per month, claiming that the model uses the money to finance his personal fitness, clothing, electronics, car and health insurance.
The actress married French actor Olivier Martinez in July 2013. She gave birth to their son Maceo in October last year.