Just when it seemed like the custody battle between Jesse Williams and his ex-wife was successfully settled in 2022, things between the pair are heating up once more. The Grey’s Anatomy star has filed to modify the existing child custody arrangement with his ex, Aryn Drake-Lee.
According to documents recently obtained by Us Weekly, the 43-year-old father-of-two filed this week to alter his visitation rights and is also seeking to have equal joint physical custody of his two children: daughter, Sadie, 10 and son, Maceo, 9. Per the couple’s original custody agreement, Williams is only allowed a maximum of two overnight visits from his children during the school year.
“There is no question that spending more time with me is in the children’s best interests,” Williams said in the filing. “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.”
In addition, Williams claims in his filing that his ex-wife is obstructing FaceTime calls between he and his children, not allowing him to attend or support their extracurricular activities, limiting/manipulating vacation schedules, etc. Williams maintains that he is holding up his end of the bargain and continually attempting to advocate for a good relationship with Drake-Lee so that they can successfully coparent their children.
“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 stated. “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.”
Williams added, “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. 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 married after five years of dating in 2018. The couple’s divorce was finalized in October of 2020.
Photo: Jesse Williams Instagram; Aryn Drake-Lee Instagram
