'Grey's Anatomy' Star Jesse Williams Wants His $40,000 Child Support Monthly Payment Lowered

"Grey's Anatomy" star Jesse Williams is asking for a smaller amount in his monthly child support payments. The actor left the medical drama in 2021 after spending 10 seasons as Dr. Jackson Avery because he wanted to "expand his body of work."

The resulting effect was acting roles with pay a far cry from his "Grey's Anatomy" income, making his monthly child support payments challenging. After his rather messy divorce in 2020, the actor was tasked to pay $40,000 every month to his wife, Aryn Drake-Lee, for their two children's upkeep.

Via the court documents, Williams stated that paying the sum every month wouldn't be doable because of his income's "significant reduction." He added that the change wouldn't affect the lives of his children because they were already used to a "modest" life.

Williams is reportedly asking for a reduction of the $40,000 monthly child support payments he previously paid to his wife, Drake-Lee. The actor stated that after leaving the cast of "Grey's Anatomy," he started making significantly less money.

According to Page Six, the court documents showed that the 40-year-old was countering Drake Lee's motion to deny his request to decrease the child support payments. Williams said, "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 new fluctuating nature of my income."

The actor left "Grey's Anatomy" back in May 2021 after 10 seasons on the show. Williams is currently with the cast of the Broadway play "Take Me Out" by Richard Greenberg.

Via Page Six, the actor is currently making $1,668 a week. This is a far cry from his $6.2 million and $183,000 in residuals as an actor on "Grey's Anatomy." Williams revealed ABC drama was the primary source of the actor and his family's income, so he couldn't afford the sizable monthly payments with it out of the picture.

After an arduous three-year separation process, the former couple finalized their divorce in 2020. Williams and Drake-Lee currently share joint custody of their two children, eight-year-old Sadie and Maceo, who is six. According to Williams, child support payments started in October 2019, amounting to $480,000 a year.

The actor explained, "The child support of $40,000 per month ($480,000 per year), which commenced October 1, 2019, was based almost entirely on my 'Grey's' episodic fees, which was my then primary source of income."

Williams added that the child support payments were based on other income streams, including residuals from "Grey's Anatomy" shows he was in while married to Drake-Lee. It also included the money from different smaller acting roles and gigs like endorsements and appearance work. "All of my additional sources of income were/are far less than my former episodic fees from 'Grey's,'" he added.

One of Williams' arguments for the child support payments reduction was that it wouldn't affect his children negatively. According to the actor, his children grew up modestly, and the initial $40,000 child support wasn't reflected in their lifestyle.

He said, "Our children's lifestyle was/is in no way reflective of the $40,000 per month in child support. Our children have a modest lifestyle. They do not have expensive hobbies or attend expensive camps."

Williams added that his children weren't used to any special treatments during the infrequent vacations like using private jets. "They do not fly by private jet when we take vacations (which are already infrequent), and we do not have any vacation homes," he said. "I agreed to the child support solely due to my then significant 'Grey's' income."

Williams joined the cast of the ABC medical series in season six. He was made a recurring cast by season seven, meaning that the actor spent ten whole seasons on the series. His contract with "Grey's Anatomy" came to a close in season 17, and the actor reportedly decided not to renew it.

According to The New York Times, Williams left to try something new. He told the news outlet, "I needed to get out of my comfort zone; I needed to go into a very unknown place." He did this for his recent role as a gay mixed-raced baseball star in the Broadway play.

The 40-year-old said something along the same line in the recent court case. Williams revealed that his role as Dr. Jackson Avery "marked over 95% of my acting reputation, and it was imperative to expand my body of work before it became too late."