If you’re a fan of the hit series Grey’s Anatomy, then you are no stranger to the character Dr. Jackson Avery. It was played by actor and filmmaker Jesse Williams. He has been a part of the series from 2009 to 2021 and appeared in more than 270 episodes.
In addition, he has had recurring roles in Station 19 and Little Fires Everywhere. Jesse has also appeared in such films as The Cabin in the Woods (2012), The Butler (2013), and Band Aid (2017). The actor has quite a presence on Instagram, where he has over 7.5 million followers. As of 2024, Jesse Williams has a net worth of $12 million dollars.
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Jesse Williams Biography
Birth Name
Jesse Wesley Williams
Nick Name
Jesse
Born
Age
42 years old
Birth Place
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Birth Sign
Profession
Actor, Producer, Director, Activist
Nationality
American
Ethnicity
He has African-American and Swedish ancestry.
Family Details
- Father: Reginald Williams (Teacher)
- Mother: Johanna Chase (Professional Ceramic Artist)
- Siblings: Coire Williams (Younger Brother) (Landscape, Woodwork, Interior Designer), Matt Williams (Younger Brother) (Footwear Designer turned Illustrator)
Education
Jesse attended Moses Brown School based in Providence, Rhode Island, and graduated from there in 1998. After that, he went to Temple University in Pennsylvania and graduated with a double major Bachelor’s degree in African-American Studies and Film and Media Arts.
Religion
Christianity
Residence
Los Angeles, California, United States
Jesse Williams Wife
Jesse Williams married his longtime girlfriend Aryn Drake-Lee in September 2020 after dating for eight years. They have two children, a daughter named Sadie (b. December 2013) and a son named Maceo (b. August 2015). Things fell apart and the couple opted for a mutual divorce in 2017 which was finalized in October 2020.
She began dating actress Taylour Paige in 2019 and the duo has been together since then. They made their first red carpet appearance at Ozwald Boateng Harlem Runway Show in May 2019.
Body Statistics
Height
6 feet 1 inch or 185 cm
Weight
77 kg or 170 lbs
Body Build
Athletic
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Green
Sexuality
Straight
Famous For
Having starred in the ABC television series Grey’s Anatomy as surgical resident Jackson Avery alongside actors Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, and Katherine Heigl.
Jesse Williams Net Worth
Thanks to his professional endeavors, Jesse Williams has earned a net worth of a whopping $12 million, as of 2024. With several acting accomplishments to his name, he has made a name for himself in the entertainment industry.
He earned hefty paychecks throughout his run on the TV show Grey’s Anatomy and with him exiting from the show, his annual income may take a hit. But we need to wait and watch to see whether he has other plans to compensate it.
Jesse Williams Facts
Before earning fame as an actor, he worked as a high school teacher.
He’s friends with Harry Belafonte.
Outside of his acting career, Jesse is an entrepreneur. He co-founded the Ebroji company and Ebroji Mobile App, a popular cultural language and a GIF keyboard. He is also a partner and board member of Scholly, a mobile app that has connected students directly to over $70 million in unclaimed scholarships.
Williams owns a production company called farWord Inc.
In June 2016, he was awarded the humanitarian award at the 2016 BET Awards, where his 5-minute acceptance speech earned him international attention.
In 2018, Williams appeared in Demi Lovato‘s music video for “Tell Me You Love Me”.
He did the voice acting and performance capture for Duke in the video game NBA 2K21, which was released in September 2020.
He has written articles for CNN and The Huffington Post.