Jesse Williams Wants More Time With Kids, Files to Change Custody Agreement With Ex Aryn Drake-Lee
Jesse Williams’ custody battle with ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee is heating up again.
Williams, 43, filed a request to change his and Drake-Lee’s custody agreement on Tuesday, September 10, per court documents obtained by Us Weekly. According to the filing, the actor wants to alter visitation and is seeking equal joint physical custody. (The exes share daughter Sadie, 10, and son Maceo, 9.)
In the docs, Williams stated that the pair’s current arrangement only allows for a maximum of two overnight stays during the school year.
“There is no question that spending more time with me is in the children’s best interests,” Williams said. “The children benefit from the love and stability I provide them, and they continually ask to spend more time with me. I am actively engaged in Sadie’s and Maceo’s lives.”
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Williams also claimed that there was “good cause” for his kids to spend “less time” with their mother as she allegedly has obstructed and interfered with his time. He accused Drake-Lee of consistently blocking his FaceTime calls, preventing him from attending their children’s various activities and manipulating their vacation schedules to limit time with Williams.
Williams slammed Drake-Lee for her “bizarre obsession” of allegedly excluding him from his children’s extracurricular activities when he’s been advocating for a good coparenting relationship.
“I have never refused Aryn access to the children. I constantly try to exemplify normal, healthy coparenting behavior in the hope that she will see it works better than chaos and conflict,” Williams argued. “Aryn’s conduct is the opposite – designed to frustrate my custody and impair my relationship with the children, and she has no concern of the impact her conduct has on our children.”
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Williams added that an equal coparenting agreement would “strengthen” his bond with his two kids so they have an “opportunity to grow up emotionally healthy.”
“Allowing the children to spend at the very least, equal time with me will not only further strengthen our loving bond, it is one of several ways the court can stop the pattern of rewarding Aryn’s toxic, obstructive behavior,” Williams alleged. “Aryn has made it her mission since I filed for divorce to weaponize access to the children, demonstrating her personal vendetta is more important than the best interests of our children.”
Williams and Drake-Lee initially met in 2007 when he was a teacher in New York. The pair tied the knot in September 2012 after five years of dating. The Grey’s Anatomy alum filed for divorce from Drake-Lee in April 2017, 18 months after they welcomed Maceo.
Shortly after their split, the twosome began their tumultuous battle for custody. Williams sought out joint custody while Drake-Lee requested sole custody due to Williams’ work schedule. In addition to custody, the pair also fought over finances. In July 2018, Williams was ordered to pay more than $100,000 a month in child and spousal support.
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Drake-Lee and Williams’ divorce was finalized in October 2020. The duo were awarded joint legal and physical custody. Williams was required to pay $40,000 per month in child support and no longer needed to give spousal support.
Despite coming to an agreement, Williams and Drake-Lee’s custody battle continued. In February 2022, Williams accused his ex-wife of “repeated violation of court orders” and “erratic, gatekeeping behavior” per docs obtained by Us. That same month, the exes reached a temporary agreement when a judge denied Drake-Lee's request to reduce Williams' visitation with the kids.
Two months later, Williams’ child support was reduced due to his reduced income after exiting Grey's. He was ordered to pay Drake-Lee $6,413 a month.
