We fell in love with the eyes and the swag when Jackson Avery donned that white lab coat on ABC's hit show Grey's Anatomy! However, the days of playing doctor are over and Jesse Williams is making pleas to the judge to reduce his, now, $50,629 per month child support payments. Not withstanding his $50,695 spousal support payments, reported by E! News. According to Page Six, the actor has had a significant decrease in his income since leaving the long running show. Williams says his weekly income is only at $1668 per week and he simply is not making the money he was while on the show. It is reported that even his residuals from the show are not what they once were.
Williams and ex-wife, Aryn Drake-Lee, have joint custody of their two children, Sadie, 8 and Maceo, 6. When the couple separated back in April 2017, Williams agreed to the support amount based on his earnings from the show. The agreement was made and court ordered to be paid during their custody trial the following year. Williams and Drake-Lee finalized their divorce in October 2021; months after Williams filmed his last appearane and left Grey's Anatomy in May of the same year. During the run of the show, Williams was reportedly making upwards of $260,000 per episode while on ABC's hit doctor drama.
He is currently cast to star in Broadway's, Take Me Out, which started March 2022 and is set to run till May/June 2022. Williams says,
"I am actively looking for projects/appearances for when the play ends, but I have nothing booked yet."
No news yet on whether the judge has (or will) grant the reduction, however much speculation surrounds the situation. Many fans feel even though Grey's Anatomy is much of the actors resume, there shouldn't be a problem with him finding more substantial work. Albeit, the inudstry is a cut-throat business and just because you're a hit on one show doesn't necessitate that you'll find that same magic elsewhere.
Sources:
E! News: Jesse Williams Asks for Child Support Payments to Be Reduced After Grey's Anatomy Exit
Daily Mail: Jesse Williams 'asks that $50K a month child support payments for his two kids with ex Aryn be reduced'...
Page Six: Jesse Williams wants $40K monthly child support payments reduced
Cover photo courtesy of Flickr.com - Dean Groom - Creative Commons License
In real life if he was not an actor by law he is to report his income if it dramatically increases or decreases… in this case it decreased. Therefore he is doing his part in saying he is no longer making such figures and needs it to be lowered. yes he could go get a different acting job but it’s likely not going to amount to what he was making on Greys. It’s also his right to quit the show. his character had no more to do on the show anyway. Maybe the could’ve done a spin off but it’s his choice to find something else to support his kids but it does NOT have to equal that amount they…
Well he shouldn't have quit the show. I think he got a big head and felt he was too good for the show and can go on to bigger and better things. Mind you he did his wife dirty and now his Karma has come around. I think he has more money than he is letting us know but maybe if he stops wining and dining various women, he needs to focus on securing the bag and taking care of his kids.