Jesse Williams has won several visitation rights with his children in New York City amid his contentious custody battle with ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee.
Appearing in court this week, the “Grey’s Anatomy” alum was awarded his requested custodial visits with their two kids – daughter Sadie, 8, and son Maceo, 7 – while he temporarily moves to New York City from Los Angeles to reprise his role in Broadway’s “Take Me Out,” according to court documents obtained by People.
Drake-Lee, 40, had reportedly argued against their children visiting the actor in the Big Apple, but the court sided with Williams, 41, and their children can now visit him in New York on specific days in October, November and December.
This follows the court’s previous decision that granted Williams custody during his spring run in the Broadway show, which allowed him four consecutive days per month in New York City with their kids.
Court docs also reveal that Williams and Drake-Lee have been ordered 10 sessions of co-parenting counseling. The judge has also ordered the exes to steer clear of discussing any of their legal battle in front of their children.
“Each party is restrained from making derogatory remarks about the other party, either directly or indirectly to the minor children, nor allow any third party to do so,” the documents state.
The judge also asks that Williams and Drake-Lee are not to “discuss this case with or in front of the minor children nor allow anyone else to do so” or use their kids as “a messenger to deliver messages to the other parent.”
The actor and real estate agent are also both prohibited from using their children to obtain information about each other.
“The parties shall not ask excessive questions or interrogate the children about what happened while when in the other parents’ custody,” the order states.
Additionally, the judge has requested that neither party “post derogatory remarks about the other party that the minor children can see on social media.” However, that rule didn’t stop Drake-Lee from taking to social media to make her thoughts on the hearing known.
“It turns out the court does think it’s good for children to regularly fly on overnight flights to accommodate a parent who won’t do the same for them,” Drake-Lee wrote via Instagram hours after the hearing on Sept. 30. “Who knew? I knew…Those of us who walk this path know what it is and know what we need to do to protect ourselves and our babes to the best of our ability.”
She continued, “Every day we show up and do what’s needed despite the circumstances. I know I journey this road with my head held high and my integrity in tact. Let’s see how long it takes for the usual suspects to leak targeted language and storylines painting a particular party as the victim.”
This isn’t the first time Drake-Lee has put Williams on blast. Last month she posted a cryptic message to her Instagram that appeared to call out Williams’ parenting style.
“Is it good for the health and wellness of a 7yr and 8yr old to be taken out of school on a regular basis to fly cross country overnight on a red eye to be on the ground for two days?” she asked on Instagram at the time. “Is it reasonable for them to return dazed and confused and then be expected to pick right up and survive at school the rest of the week? I don’t think so!”
She added, “Neither do any of the parents who actually parent on a routine basis. There’s a name for the condition of an adult who expects their children to indulge, caregive [sic] and service that adult’s desires at the childrens’ expense…”
In March, the LA judge ruled that Williams would have reduced custody time due to his move to New York. He was granted four consecutive days with his kids, two of which could be weekend days, and was told he could not cancel a date and then “un-cancel.”
But Williams claimed in court docs last month that Drake-Lee was not allowing him to see their kids in New York despite the agreement. He also claimed she was not honoring a previous agreement for him to call his children once per day.
“The play is set to start in October 2022 and run through at least January 2023. I am returning to New York in early October to start rehearsals. I asked Aryn to honor the Court’s prior order so I can continue to spend quality time with our children while I am in New York. Aryn refused,” he claimed in court documents.
Williams then requested an emergency court hearing so he and the kids “do not lose our precious custodial time together.”
The exes have had a rocky relationship and have struggled to co-parent since breaking up in 2017. They were even ordered to both attend “high-conflict” parenting classes last April.
They finalized their divorce three years after their split in October 2020.
