Jesse Williams Secretly Starts New Family Amid Custody Dispute

Jesse Williams already has a bun in the oven!

The actor is expanding his bloodline with his new beau, Alejandra Onieva, after secretly tying the knot recently. The pair seems to be sticking to their theme of keeping their major life updates lowkey.

This comes amid Jesse Williams’ legal brawl with his ex-wife, Aryn Drake-Lee, spanning over their prolonged divorce process and custody of their two kids. Last year, the actor was awarded sole legal custody of their healthcare decisions while sharing physical custody with their ex.

Williams and his new bride are already growing their family as they will be welcoming baby Williams in the coming months. Onieva subtly showed off her baby bump for the first time in an Instagram post last week, also featuring the “Grey’s Anatomy” actor.

The mom-to-be posed in several pictures showing off her pregnancy, including one where she stood sideways in a cropped white sweater paired with white striped pants. Onieva also posted a separate beach video donning a red minidress and cradling her growing bump.

The news of Onieva’s pregnancy comes after it was reported that the lovebirds had secretly tied the knot in an intimate ceremony. TMZ broke the news at the time, revealing that, according to sources, the newlyweds had been married for months before the news became public.

Before their low-key ceremony made waves, the lovebirds, who met in 2025 on set, had been spotted together in public on several occasions in Madrid, Rome, and at the San Sebastián Film Festival.

The ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Actor Is At Legal Odds With His Ex-Wife

Williams divorce was not a smooth process as it spanned over three years. Even after the divorce was officially finalized, the court proceedings did not end, as custody concerns repeatedly dragged them to court.

The former lovers called it quits after being together for thirteen years, but married for five. During their custody battle, Williams pointed out his strong bond with their kids, Sadie and Maceo, stating that they often enjoyed their time with him and asked to stay longer.

He filed court documents seeking to modify the custody arrangement, which allows them to have the kids on an alternating week schedule, to a 50/50 custody split.

Drake-Lee, on the other hand, raised concerns over his busy schedule as an actor and also accused Williams and his legal team of bullying and threatening her during their divorce proceedings.

As reported by The Blast, the TV star also appeared in court for a hearing against his former partner, seeking information about her new boyfriend at the time, Peace Reedburg. He requested the judge for access to details about Reedburg, claiming that his ex’s partner had access to the kids.

The TV Personality Was Granted Sole Legal Custody

Williams had a major win in his legal brawl against Drake-Lee when the judge granted him sole legal custody regarding medical decisions for Sadie and Maceo in March last year.

The ruling allows him to unilaterally move forward with treatments like orthodontic care without needing his ex-wife’s consent, although he is to keep her fully informed of his decisions.

A few months later, Williams alleged that Drake-Lee had violated the terms of the order by obstructing a healthcare treatment for one of the kids.

He filed the emergency motion claiming that his ex aggressively communicated with the child’s doctor, insisting she did not consent to the treatment and threatening to sue if he proceeded. 

The mom of two, on the other hand, filed a countermotion over the previous sole custody verdict awarded to her ex-husband.

She stated that the court’s decision was made without any evidentiary hearings, adding that there were no substantial facts or evidence presented to justify this serious action.

To strengthen her case, Drake-Lee highlighted that Sadie and Maceo are held as “protected property” within a private trust, suggesting that the court lacks the authority to make decisions regarding their well-being. 

Alejandra Onieva Likes Her Business Out Of Public Eye

Onieva has been one to keep her love life behind the curtains, drawing a clear line between her career and relationships. She was previously linked to Marvel actor Sebastian Stan for about two years. The pair reportedly started dating in 2020 during the pandemic and ended things in 2022. 

Over the course of their relationship, they kept their romance lowkey, only soft-launching their love in a rare birthday tribute and a vague shadow photo on social media.

The former lovers intentionally kept their romance away from the cameras and also refrained from talking about each other in press interviews. 

PEOPLE reported that Stan marked his then beau’s 29th birthday on Instagram with a hilarious short film. The video featured the actor going about his daily routine and activities from waking up, making breakfast, watching TV, and more, with Onivera’s photo on his phone.

“Over a year ago, out of a lot of darkness…you became the light [fire emoji] I’m so grateful [praying hands and red heart emoji] #2020 #loveinthetimeofcovid #quarantinenights,” he captioned the post. She commented, writing, “The love you give me is the most beautiful gift this life has given me, te quiero!”

Inside Jesse Williams’ Dating History

Williams met Drake-Lee in the early 2000s while he was still working as a school teacher. The pair dated for over five years before saying their vows in September 2012. They welcomed Sadie in 2013 and Maceo two years later.

During this time, Williams’ career kicked off as an actor while Drake-Lee held down the home front. Unfortunately, the “Hotel Costiera” actor filed for divorce in 2017, citing irreconcilable differences.

Between 2017 and 2018, Williams was linked to Minka Kelly after they met while collaborating on a video game. The relationship was confirmed following swirling speculations; however, infidelity rumors rose as well due to the proximity of the timeline of his romance with Kelly and his divorce from Drake-Lee.

PopSugar shared that the TV personality started dating Taylor Rooks, but they kept their relationship incredibly private. They were spotted in May 2018 spending quality time together during Memorial Day weekend at one of Kevin Hart’s shows.

It is unclear when they split, but it is rumored to have been before Williams kicked it off with someone new in 2019. The father of two gave love another chance with Taylour Paige for about two years before he was linked to a long-time friend, Ciarra Pardo, in 2022.