• Aryn Drake-Lee is a real estate broker and ex-wife of Jesse Williams, an American actor and film director.
• Aryn was born in Chicago and studied at French American International School and Barnard College.
• She and Jesse met in 2007 and married in 2012, having two children together before divorcing in 2017.
• She is an animal lover and likes to read books, watch comedy movies and TV series and travel.
• Aryn is 38 years old and has a estimated net worth of $2 million, while Jesse has a net worth of $8 million.



Known for movies

Short Info

Date Of BirthAugust 5, 1981
SpouseAryn Drake-Lee
FactMarried Aryn Drake-Lee, age 32, a real estate broker, on September 1, 2012 in Los Angeles. They have been together for five years.


Who is Jesse Williams’ ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee? Wiki Bio

Aryn Drake-Lee was born in Chicago, Illinois USA, on 12 December 1981 – her zodiac sign is Sagittarius and she holds American nationality. Aryn is a real estate broker, who gained public recognition after she married and later divorced Jesse Williams, a famous American actor and film director and producer.

Childhood and education

Aryn was raised an only child in Chicago by her white father who was a businessman, and her black mother who was teaching at a local high school. Her parents had many problems with their families as they were not supportive of their decision to marry someone of different color.

Jesse Williams and his wife Aryn Drake-Lee go for a swim in the pool of their South Beach hotel.

Posted by I Pensieri di Meredith – Grey's Anatomy on Thursday, July 4, 2013

Aryn studied at French American International School in San Francisco, California at which she learned how to speak and write both French and Spanish, and she was also physically active as she played volleyball and tennis. Upon matriculation in 1999, Aryn enrolled at Columbia University’s Barnard College located in New York City, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2003.

Career as a real estate broker

While she was still studying at Barnard College, Aryn began working at the company Webb and Booker in Harlem, which was at that time regarded as one of the best black management companies in New York.

She stayed with them for a year before moving to William B. May Company, where she was a real estate agent for two years before being offered the position of an Associate Real Estate Broker at Brown Harris Stevens, and she went on to become one of their best brokers.

Aryn has been working at Brown Harris Stevens for over 10 years now, and is currently based at their office in Park Slope.

Love life and divorce from Jesse Williams

Aryn and Jesse Williams met in 2007 when he was teaching history at a local high school in New York City – Jesse wasn’t popular back then, as he hadn’t launched his acting career yet. The two started dating, and were together for over five years before marrying in a small ceremony in Los Angeles, on 1 September 2012, attended by their closest friends and family.

Jesse Williams and Aryn Drake-Lee

The couple welcomed their daughter Sadie Williams in December 2013, while their son Maceo Williams followed in October 2015.

After becoming a famous actor, Jesse filed for divorce in April 2017, refusing to pay Aryn spousal support while he also demanded joint custody over their children. Aryn stated in an interview that she helped him while he was working his way up in the film industry, but that now  he’s famous, he wants to be single. However, Jesse was soon seen with actress Minka Kelly on several occasions, and it was confirmed that the two were together for several months by July 2017.

Aryn requested from the court that she gains sole custody over Sadie and Macoe, and that Jesse pays her spousal support and even though she is today getting $100,000 a month from Jesse, the court have given them joint custody over their children.

Aryn is currently single while Jesse has been in a relationship with the American actress Taylour Paige since the summer of 2019.

Hobbies and other interests

Aryn likes to spend her free time at the gym where she is mostly focused on doing cardio, and she is also following a strict diet, thus her hourglass body figure. She enjoys reading books in her spare time – her favorite writer is Nicholas Sparks as she is a hopeless romantic, while some of her favorite books are “Dear John” and “Message in a Bottle”.

Aryn is a lover of animals with her favorites being cats and elephants; she likes to travel and has been to several US states while she has also travelled to Africa, Europe and Asia on multiple occasions.

Aryn is keen on watching comedy movies and TV series, and some of her favorite actors and actresses are Tom Hanks, Matt LeBLanc and Courteney Cox, while some of her favorite movies are “The Terminal”, “Groundhog Day”, and “When Harry Met Sally” – her favorite TV series is “Friends”.

Appearance and net worth

Aryn is 38 years old. She has long curly black hair and brown eyes, is 5ft 5ins (1.65m) tall, and weighs around 121lbs (55kgs). As of June 2020, her net worth is estimated at over $2 million, while Jesse’s net worth is reputedly over $8 million.

Who is Jesse Williams? Wiki Bio

Jesse Wesley Williams was born in Chicago, Illinois USA, on 5 August 1981 – his zodiac sign is Leo and he holds American nationality.

Jessie is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Dr. Jackson Avery in the romantic drama series “Grey’s Anatomy” since 2009, which has been airing since 2005. The series stars Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr., and is about five surgical interns working at a local hospital. It’s won 76 awards including two Golden Globes, and has been nominated for 221 others.

Jesse was raised alongside his two younger brothers in Chicago, by their mother Johanna Chase who was a professional potter, and father Reginald Williams who was the owner of a small moving company – he became a history teacher in 1998. Jesse attended Moses Brown School where he became interested in acting, and started appearing in school plays.

Upon matriculation in 1998, Jesse enrolled at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in both film and media arts, and African-American studies in 2002.

He launched his career by becoming a high school teacher, and he taught American and African Studies for six years before deciding to focus entirely on his acting career. He made his debut TV series appearance in 2006, when he portrayed Kwame in a single episode of the police procedural and legal drama series “Law & Order”, before he appeared in eight episodes of the drama series “Beyond the Break” and two episodes of the comedy drama series “Greek”.

The year 2010 saw him portray Dr. Jackson Avery in six episodes of the medical drama series “Seattle Grace: Message of Hope”, before he guest starred in a single episode of the surreal comedy series “The Eric Andre Show” in 2016, and the comedy drama series “Most Expensivest” in 2018. Some of his latest roles in TV series have been in the crime drama “Power” in 2019, the action drama “Station 19” and the drama web mini-series “Little Fires Everywhere” both in 2020.

Jesse made his debut film appearance in 2008, when he portrayed Leo in the comedy drama “The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2” – his following roles were in the crime drama movie “Brooklyn’s Finest” in 2009, the short drama film “Dirty Dancing 3: Capoeira Nights” in 2010, and the horror comedy movie “The Cabin in the Woods” in 2012.

He made his producing debut in the same year, when he worked on the drama film “Question Bridge: Black Males” and then went on to play James Lawson in the historical drama movie “The Butler”. Jesse portrayed Don ‘The Snake’ Prudomme in the biographical drama movie “Snake and Mongoose” which is about the rivalry between two drag racers, and some of the roles which followed were in the horror drama film “They Die by Dawn” in 2013, the crime thriller movie “Money” in 2016, and the comedy drama movie “Band Aid” in 2017. A few of Jesse’s latest roles in movies have been in the drama “Selah and the Spades”, the psychological thriller “Jacob’s Ladder”, and the slasher horror “Random Acts of Violence” all released in 2019.

View this post on Instagram

👂🏽🧠👂🏽 We’re on the verge of revolutionary transformation and it takes shape with information, innovation, compassion, action and guts. If we’re growing, we’re adapting. We’re utilizing the range of conversation starters at our disposal and making measurable change with the momentum. Challenging each other to consider experiences other than their own. Whether delivered via academia or entertainment; pop culture or indie; whether comfortable and terrifying, narrative change moves culture. Seeing people do it helps and that momentum can begin with a simple conversation. In the last year or two I've noticed @proctergamble roll out narrative after narrative addressing aspects of Black life and the unnecessary, unacknowledged challenges bias brings. #TheLook, #TheTalk, #TheChoice and #RedefineBlack explore some interesting imagery around race and bias while exposing these shadow experiences to the masses, in some cases, for the first time. So when they completed their latest social experiment and asked if I'd take a look and share a few thoughts, I said sure. Starting today, you can watch alongside me and @freddie and see what it makes you feel and think. It’s time for Americans to embrace the realities around us and the roles we play. Bias is a real one, in all of us. #TalkAboutBias. Watch Now with the Link in my bio. #ad (🖼 by @jerrellgibbs)

A post shared by jesse Williams (@ijessewilliams) on

Jesse has also done a bit of modelling, posing for Kenneth Cole Productions and Tommy Hilfiger Corporation among other companies, and has been featured in a variety of musical videos, making his debut appearance in “When Your Heart Stops Beating” performed by +44 in 2006. In 2009, he appeared in Rihanna’s music video “Russian Roulette”, as well as in “Fall in Love” performed by Estelle in 2010. Two of his latest appearances in musical videos have been in “Tell Me You Love Me” by Demi Lovato, and “Legacy” by Jay-Z in 2017. He has also lent his looks and voice to the character Markus in the adventure video game “Detroit: Become Human”.

Jesse has short brown hair and blue eyes, is 6ft 1ins (1.85m) tall, and weighs around 174lbs (79kgs).

General Info

Full NameJesse Williams
Date Of BirthAugust 5, 1981
Height1.87 m
ProfessionFilm producer, Activist, Actor, Model, Teacher
EducationTemple University
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseAryn Drake-Lee
ChildrenMaceo Williams, Sadie Williams
ParentsReginald Williams, Johanna Chase

Accomplishments

AwardsBET Humanitarian Award, Young Hollywood Award for TV Actor of the Year
NominationsPeople's Choice Award for Favorite Dramatic TV Actor, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Shorty Award for Best in Activism
MoviesMoney, They Die By Dawn, Snake and Mongoose, The Butler, The Cabin in the Woods, Brooklyn's Finest, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, Jacob's Ladder
TV ShowsGrey's Anatomy, Washingtonienne

Social profile links

Quotes

#Quote
1Freedom is always coming in the hereafter. But the hereafter is a hustle. We want it now.
2It was very important to me to be with a woman who is better than me at some things. You want someone who brings new, interesting things into your life.
3You have to be up-front from the very beginning about what your expectations of the other person are, and you can't make any promises you don't intend to keep.
4That's why the role that I have on 'Grey's Anatomy' is important to me, because it's a human being. He doesn't have to wear race on his sleeve; he doesn't even have to talk about it. We just lead by our actions.
5Staying true to our goals, Question Bridge as a company and as a project is not singularly about black males. One of the things I'm so excited about Question Bridge is that my vision goes far beyond black males.
6We should all have the opportunity to at least get a basic education and feel that you are worthy of something in life.
7I'm very grateful and fully aware that 90 percent of actors are not working. Going from public school teacher to a show like 'Grey's Anatomy', I love what I do.
8As an actor, you want to be able to move your character forward into new ground, but also it's really interesting to go backwards and unpeel those layers and the interesting elements of what your character is and what informs the decisions that you make so that you can have as much meat to work with.
9Storybooks were always a big part of my imagination, and my childhood and adolescence.
10I'm always trying to find the next comedian that just gives me something a little funny to combine with all of the depressing news that I'm processing.
11I always find that really interesting, you know, when I get to see characters that I love in TV and film and theater around their family.
12I download, like, forty songs a day, I'm a big music collector and a big record collector.
13I like to take credit for the work that I have done.
14I thought that if acting didn't work out, I'd have done law school or medical school: probably law to be honest.
15I'm an athletic junkie - I play in all the celebrity all-star games, and I've become buddies with a bunch of athletes.
16We often grow up being told that we can do this or that, but if you don't see anybody that looks like you doing it, you don't believe you can do it. But I had great teachers, and I wanted to be a great teacher.
17There's so much material out there that's unnecessarily racist. It takes a shot at what is 'urban' or demonstrates blackness with some sassy, neck-jiving character that's not even relevant to the plot. I see it time and time again, and it doesn't move the story forward. It just kind of cryogenically freezes us in this old racial paradigm.
18I'm kind of in a middle space, being marketed as a biracial actor. Roles are written either stereotypically black, or they're written 'normal,' which is just code for white.
19Storytelling is based on the word, being an honorable person of integrity is based on your word.
20Coming from New York, you're kind of indoctrinated with anti-L.A. sentiment, but California is just a really dope state.

Facts

#Fact
1In New York shooting new movie Money (2016). [June 2015]
2Married Aryn Drake-Lee, age 32, a real estate broker, on September 1, 2012 in Los Angeles. They have been together for five years.
3Attended Moses Brown high school in Rhode Island.
4His father is African-American, with some Seminole ancestry. His mother is of Swedish descent.
5A former high school teacher.
6Attended Temple University (B.A.) in Philadelphia, PA

Pictures

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Jacob's Ladder2017post-production
Band Aid2017
Grey's Anatomy2009-2017TV SeriesDr. Jackson Avery
Money2016Sean
The Spoils Before Dying2015TV Mini-SeriesParker
They Die by Dawn2013John Taylor
Snake & Mongoose2013Don 'The Snake' Prudhomme
The Butler2013/IJames Lawson
Rich Girl Problems2012ShortPeter
The Cabin in the Woods2012Holden
J.A.W.2011ShortEnin
Seattle Grace: Message of Hope2010TV SeriesJackson Avery
Dirty Dancing 3: Capoeira Nights2010Video shortJohnny
Beyond the Break2009TV SeriesEric Medina
Washingtonienne2009TV MovieKeya
Brooklyn's Finest2009Eddie Quinlan
Greek2008TV SeriesThe Hotness Monster / Drew Collins / Hotness Monster
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 22008Leo
Law & Order2006TV SeriesKwame

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
America Divided2016TV Mini-Series documentary producer - 2 episodes
Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement2016Documentary executive producer
Snake & Mongoose2013executive producer
J.A.W.2011Short co-producer

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Survivor's Guide to Prison2017Documentary post-productionHimself
Complex Conversations2017TV Series documentaryHimself
Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show2016TV SeriesHimself
America Divided2016TV Mini-Series documentaryHimself
The Eric Andre Show2016TV SeriesHimself
BET Awards 20162016TV MovieHimself
Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement2016Documentary
Hollywood Today Live2015TV SeriesHimself
20th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards2015TV SpecialHimself
The 41st Annual People's Choice Awards2015TV SpecialHimself
Celebrity Name Game2014TV SeriesHimself - Celebrity Player
The Queen Latifah Show2014TV SeriesHimself - Guest
The View2014TV SeriesHimself
The Arsenio Hall Show2014TV SeriesHimself - Guest
Mind of a Man2014TV SeriesHimself - Special Guest
The Insider2013TV SeriesHimself
Made in Hollywood2013TV SeriesHimself
The 39th Annual People's Choice Awards2013TV SpecialHimself
The Chew2012TV SeriesHimself - Guest
13th Annual Young Hollywood Awards2011TV SpecialHimself - Actor of the Year in TV
MTV Video Music Awards 20102010TV SpecialHimself (uncredited)
Entertainment Tonight2010TV SeriesHimself
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno2010TV SeriesHimself - Beer Pong at the ESPYs
Rock n' Gol2010TV MovieHimself
The Mo'Nique Show2010TV SeriesHimself
The Wendy Williams Show2010TV SeriesHimself
Jimmy Kimmel Live!2009-2010TV SeriesHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Ok! TV2015TV SeriesHimself
Cinemassacre's Monster Madness2014TV Series documentaryHolden

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2016BET AwardBET AwardsHumanitarian Award
2011Young Hollywood AwardYoung Hollywood AwardsTV Actor of the Year

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2016Best Ensemble CastOrlando Film FestivalNarrative FeatureMoney (2016)
2015People's Choice AwardPeople's Choice Awards, USAFavorite Dramatic TV Actor

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

Write A Comment

Pin It