Jesse Williams’s Ex-Wife Aryn Drake-Lee Fights Actor’s Child Support Reduction Plea, Claims He Shouldn’t Have Left ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

Aryn Drake-Lee, Jesse Williams

Jesse Williams’s Ex-Wife Aryn Drake-Lee Fights Actor’s Child Support Reduction Plea, Claims He Shouldn’t Have Left ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

Jesse Williams’s ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee is fighting the actor’s plea to lower child support following his departure from Grey’s Anatomy. According to court documents obtained by Radar, Aryn claims that Jesse made the unwise decision to leave the successful ABC series. She also doesn’t believe that he is unable to continue paying the usual amount. Aryn allegedly stated:

“[Jesse] left a favorable, coveted, high-paying position on a successful T.V. show, in pursuit of his ‘own path,’ and now seeks to shed his family responsibilities.”

Jesse filed the motion in Dec. 2021 after choosing to exit Grey’s, which he’d been appearing on since 2009. He argued that his income has significantly decreased.

Performing as a main cast member, the medical drama was Williams’ primary source of income. Financial records from 2019 reportedly state that he raked in $6.2 million from the show and another $183k in residuals. When the pair’s divorce was finalized in 2019, he agreed to pay $40k a month in child support.

Now, he’s paid $1,668 per week for starring in the Broadway play Take Me Out.

In the court documents, Jesse cited wanting to grow as an artist and the possible conclusion of Grey’s Anatomy as his reasons for leaving.

He wrote:

“I am requesting the Court reduce the child support to a reasonable amount I can afford given the significant reduction in my income and the now fluctuating nature of my income. The child support should also be reflective of our two young children’s actual lifestyle and not some exorbitant/imagined version.”

Jesse Williams & ex-wife Aryn

He also mentioned that Aryn once made a lot of money as a New York real estate agent. Therefore, she needs to resume her career in order to support their children. Aryn’s lawyer fired back:

“In his Request, [Jesse] mentions [Aryn’s] education and prior earnings as a real estate agent. However, he fails to mention that [Aryn] gave up her thriving career in New York for him more than 13 years ago, to relocate to California to support and focus on building his acting career and businesses. Her “income” during the marriage as his unofficial manager, is comparable to her income now.”

No decision has been made.

Do you think Jesse Willams deserves reduced child support? Leave us a comment and let us know!

[VIA]