Jesse Williams has won several visitation rights with his children in New York City amid his controversial custody battle with ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee.
Appearing in court this week, the “Grey’s Anatomy” alum was granted his requested prison visits with their two children — daughter Sadie, 8, and son Maceo, 7 — as he temporarily relocates from Los Angeles to New York City to do his job. reprise his role in Broadway’s “Take Me Out,” according to court documents obtained by People.
Drake-Lee, 40, had reportedly protested their children’s visit to the actor in the Big Apple, but the court sided with Williams, 41, and their children can now see him on specific days in October, November and December. visit New York.
This follows the earlier court decision that granted Williams custody of his spring run on the Broadway show, which allowed him to be in New York City with their children for four consecutive days a month.
Court documents also reveal that Williams and Drake-Lee received 10 sessions of co-parenting counseling. The judge also ordered the exes not to talk about their legal battle in front of their children.
“Each party must not make derogatory comments about the other party, directly or indirectly to the minor children, and do not allow any third party to do so,” the documents read.
The judge also asks Williams and Drake-Lee to “not discuss this matter with or in front of the minor children, nor allow anyone else to do so” or use their children as “a messenger to deliver messages to the other parent”.
The actor and the real estate agent are also both prohibited from using their children to obtain information about each other.
“The parties will not ask excessive questions or interrogate the children about what happened while they were under the guardianship of the other parents,” the warrant read.
In addition, the judge has requested that neither side post “derogatory comments about the other for the minor children to see on social media”. That rule didn’t stop Drake-Lee from taking to social media to voice her opinion about the hearing, though.
“It turns out that the court is okay with children flying regular night flights to accommodate a parent who won’t do the same for them,” Drake-Lee wrote via Instagram hours after the Sept. 30 hearing. knew? I knew… Those of us who walk this path know what it is and know what to do to best protect ourselves and our babies.”
She continued: “Every day we show up and do what is necessary, despite the circumstances. I know I walk this road with my head held high and my integrity intact. Let’s see how long it takes for the usual suspects to leak targeted language and storylines that paint a particular party as a victim.
This isn’t the first time Drake-Lee has put Williams on edge. Last month, she posted a cryptic message on her Instagram that seemed to mention Williams’ parenting style.
“Is it good for the health and well-being of a 7- and 8-year-old to be regularly taken out of school to fly across the country at night with red eye to be grounded for two days?” she asked on Instagram at the time. ‘Is it reasonable for them to return dazed and confused and expect to live in school for the rest of the week? I do not think so!”
She added: “Also, none of the parents who really routinely age. There is a name for the condition of an adult who expects their children to enjoy, care [sic] and service to the wishes of the adult at the expense of the children…”
In March, the LA judge ruled that Williams would have shortened his custody period because of his move to New York. He was given four consecutive days with his kids, two of which were weekend days, and was told he couldn’t cancel a date and then “undo cancel”.
But Williams claimed in court documents last month that Drake-Lee did not allow him to see their children in New York despite the agreement. He also claimed that she broke a previous agreement to call his children once a day.
“The piece will start in October 2022 and will last at least until January 2023. At the beginning of October I will return to New York to start rehearsals. I’ve asked Aryn to respect the court’s prior order so that I can continue to spend quality time with our children while I’m in New York. Aryn refused,” he claimed in court documents.
Williams then requested an emergency hearing so that he and the children “don’t lose our precious time together.”
The exes have had a troubled relationship and have struggled to co-parent since they broke up in 2017. They were even instructed to take both “high-conflict” parenting classes last April.
They finalized their divorce three years after their breakup in October 2020.