What Jesse Williams Has Done Since Leaving Greys Anatomy
Grey’s Anatomy has been one of the most successful shows on the ABC network since it first began airing in 2005. The show is centered around Meredith Grey and her work at a hospital which has changed names countless times. Grey is surrounded by her co-workers and friends, who also change so often it’s hard to keep track even for the most dedicated viewers and fans. Actors and actresses come on to the show for long periods of time before eventually moving on to work on other projects. This was the case for actor Jesse Williams.
Williams played Jackson Avery on the show Grey’s Anatomy. He was a part of the hit television show for over a decade before he decided it was time to move on. Now, Williams is trying out new projects and dealing with dramatic personal issues. Here’s what Jesse Williams has done since leaving Grey’s Anatomy.
8 Who Is Jesse Williams?
Jesse Williams is an actor best known for his work on the hit ABC show Grey’s Anatomy. He joined the cast of the television show in its sixth season, though it was unclear for how long Williams would be a part of the cast. Williams played Jackson Avery for 12 years before saying goodbye to the show in 2021.
Williams married Aryn Drake-Lee in 2012. Before then, they were together for many years. They have two children together, Sadie and Maceo, but they ended their over a decade long relationship in 2017. Their divorce was officially finalized in 2020 after three years of messy negotiations.
7 Why Did Jessie Williams Leave Greys Anatomy?
Many actors and actresses have come and gone from the cast of Grey’s Anatomy. Hardly any of the original cast members from 2005 remain a part of the hit television show. Jesse Williams joined the show in its sixth season and left after season 17. He did make a guest appearance at the end of season 18 to reveal that his character and April Kepner had gotten back together while the two lived in Boston.
After playing the same character for over a decade, Williams was more than ready to tackle new challenges and try new things. He thought his characters exit “felt organic” and that it was time to say goodbye to his character Jackson Avery.
6 Jesse Williams Plays A Super Villain
Considering Jesse Williams played Jackson Avery on Grey’s Anatomy for over a decade, it is no surprise he wanted to take on new and different roles. For the streaming service Paramount +, Williams played the part of Irons.
The streaming service original movie is called Secret Headquarters. The film is geared towards children and features Owen Wilson as a superhero. Williams plays a villain, which is very different than his character in Grey’s Anatomy.
5 Jesse Williams Voice Acted For A Video Game
While moving on from Grey’s Anatomy, Jesse Williams wanted to try a different kind of acting. Voice acting is a completely different skill than acting for television or film, and it is certainly different when it is for a video game.
Williams was highly featured in the video game NBA 2K21. In the game, he acted as the player’s father. Williams’s character in the basketball game even looked just like him. Fans weren’t used to seeing Williams tackle these types of projects. Many actors are deeply invested in video games, so it was natural for Williams to want to try something new.
4 Jesse Williams Started Directing
Acting is not the only aspect of the entertainment industry that Jesse Williams has interest in. With his new free time, Williams chose to tackle directing. He got the chance to direct a television episode for ABC in 2021.
Rebel is an ABC network show about a legal advocate with a blue-collar background. Williams directed one episode for the television show. He plans on continuing to direct in the future, and fans of his are excited to see upcoming projects.
3 Jesse Williams In Custody Battle With Ex-Wife
Jesse Williams and Aryn Drake-Lee were only married for four years before they separated in 2017. Their divorce was messy and complicated, causing it to not be legally finalized until October 2020. Their initial agreement was 50-50 custody of their children with Williams paying $40,000 a month for child support.
Now, however, Drake-Lee is going for sole custody of Sadie and Maceo with Williams only having certain visitation rights. This is due to Drake-Lee’s claim that Williams has not complied with the court’s ruling and consistently skips his custody time.
2 Ex-Wife Claims Jesse Williams Has Changed Since Leaving Greys Anatomy
Fans of Jesse Williams are used to seeing the kind-hearted man from interviews, but his ex-wife tells a different story of his character. Aryn Drake-Lee says that since leaving the ABC show Grey’s Anatomy, Williams has been a completely different person.
“He calls me names, uses threatening language and intimidation tactics such as threatening to send the police to my home, causing me to fear for my and our children’s safety,” Drake-Lee claimed in court documents acquired by Yahoo! News. Drake-Lee claims Williams has been weird with sharing his work schedule, which impacts his custody time with their children.
1 Jesse Williams Returns To Greys Anatomy
Devoted fans of Grey’s Anatomy and Jesse Williams were overjoyed by the news that Williams would be returning in the upcoming season. Show runners announced that not only would Williams return to play Jackson Avery for one episode, but Williams would also be directing the episode.
Fans are excited to see Williams’s second directorial work for the ABC network. Viewers are even more excited to see the actor in scrubs once again. The episode is set to air on November 3rd and will be the fifth episode in the new season. It will be set in Boston, where Williams’s character now lives, but his character’s significant other April Kepner will not appear in the episode.
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