Jesse Williams wants the courts to reduce his child support payments for the two children with his ex-wife, Aryn Drake-Lee.
According to Radar Online, Williams claims he can no longer afford to make the $40,000 monthly payment a judge ordered him to provide for his 8-year-old daughter, Sadie, and 6-year-old son, Maceo, after their divorce in 2019.
The actor also left his Grey’s Anatomy job in 2021.
His claim to the court says, “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,” it continued.
Williams allegedly told the judge that Drake-Lee, whose Instagram profile states she is an entrepreneur and real estate broker, should return to work to help support their children.
Related Story: Aryn Drake-Lee Is Demanding Full Custody From ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Jesse Williams
However, Drake-Lee is pushing back.
She claims Williams’ left the show on his own as an excuse for him not to step up.
“[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,” it read.
“In his request,” her lawyer writes. “[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,” the filing stated.
Jesse and Aryn were married from 2012 through 2017. They finalized their divorce in 2019, with the actor agreeing to pay $40k a month in child support.
Earlier this year, a judge shut down Aryn’s attempt to strip Jesse of joint custody. A judge has yet to rule on this new matter.
