Jesse Williams and Aryn Drake-Lee Finalize Divorce, Agree to Joint Custody of 2 Children

Jesse Williams filed for divorce from Aryn Drake-Lee in April 2017

Aryn Drake-Lee; Jesse Williams
Aryn Drake-Lee and Jesse Williams. Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images

Jesse Williams and Aryn Drake-Lee have finalized their divorce over three years after splitting.

According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the Grey's Anatomy star, 39, and real estate broker, 38, were deemed legally single by a Los Angeles County judge on Friday. The agreement was initially reached in September 2019.

The exes will share joint legal and physical custody of daughter Sadie, 6, and son Maceo, 5. However, according to the court documents, they must speak to each other before posting photos of their children on social media.

Williams has been ordered to pay his ex-wife $40,000 in child support every month, and over $100,000 in two upcoming spousal support payments.

Per the documents, Williams will keep the $936,810 he has earned from the hit ABC drama after their date of separation, listed as April 11, 2017, while other earnings will be split. The family's home in Los Angele will stay in Drake-Lee's possession, and the exes will keep their respective vehicles.

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Jesse Williams and Aryn Drake-Lee. Paul Redmond/WireImage

Williams first met Drake-Lee while working as a schoolteacher in New York. The pair wed in September 2012 after more than five years together. In April 2017, the actor filed for divorce.

Williams and Drake-Lee were granted joint legal custody of their two children in August 2017 and joint physical custody in March 2018. The agreement stated that Williams and Drake-Lee must alternate custody of the children for major holidays.

In June 2018, Williams was ordered to pay more than $50,000 per month in child support and the $50,695 per month in spousal support that he had paid Drake-Lee since January 2018. Months later, the actor filed an appeal to fight the order, claiming he pays too much.

Drake-Lee spoke to PEOPLE in May 2019 about the toll the fraught divorce and custody battle had taken on her family, including her children.

"When you start spinning, the children start spinning, so even if you're looking at them and you're telling them everything is fine, they know it's not fine because they can feel it's not fine," she said.

Aryn Drake-Lee Jessie Williams Ex
Aryn Drake-Lee. Courtesy BBSARETRASH

"I talk to them on their level," Drake-Lee added. "It's also okay for the children to see me crying, to see that I'm having a hard day today. Because that lets them know that when they have those hard days, there's also room for that."

Williams is now dating Hit The Floor actress Taylour Paige. They were first linked in January 2019 after spending time together at the Sundance Film Festival. He previously dated SportsNet New York anchor Taylor Rooks and also dated Minka Kelly for several months before calling it off in January 2018.

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