17 seasons in, Grey's Anatomy still has the power to shock and impress fans. Everyone was excited when McDreamy came back and viewers have been interested to see how the series handles the Covid-19 pandemic.
Besides the main character Meredith Grey, there are so many others who fans adore, and one of them is Jackson Avery. The handsome doctor, played by 39-year-old actor Jesse Williams, is super romantic and also amazing at his job. He's definitely a catch, and as it turns out, Williams is one of the richest actors on the show.
What is Jesse William's salary on Grey's Anatomy? Let's take a look.
A Huge Salary
Ellen Pompeo now makes over $20 million annually and the actress got a lot of attention when she made her deal.
What is the actor who plays the beloved character Jackson Avery making?
Jesse Williams makes $521,000 each month. According to The Daily Mail, people learned how much money he was making during his child support trial in 2018. He and his ex-wife, Aryn Drake-Lee, share two kids: Sadie and Maceo.
Celebrity Net Worth says that puts Williams' yearly salary at $6.25 million, which is definitely super high.
In 2019, Williams signed a contract to keep portraying Jackson Avery, and according to Deadline, there was some negotiating because he was also starring in the Broadway play Take Me Out.
Jackson Avery is a great character as he's tough but he has more of a sensitive nature than some might think. He falls in love with April Kepner and they have a devastating journey as they lose their baby and start fighting so much that they can't stay together. Jackson also grew up in a wealthy family, as Dr. Harper Avery was his grandfather, and of course, the Harper Avery award is a big deal at the hospital on the show. His mother, Catherine, is also a well-established surgeon who has done so well for herself.
Jesse Williams' Net Worth
Jesse Williams has a net worth of $12 million. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he was a high school teacher for six years and then joined the world of Hollywood. The website notes that Williams is giving his ex-wife $100,000 each month in child support.
While of course the actor is best known for playing Jackson Avery, he has had some movie roles over the years and these have definitely earned him some money.
In 2012, he played Holden in The Cabin in the Woods, and his other movie credits include 2013's The Butler and 2019's Jacob's Ladder. He also took on the role of Joe in the impressive Amazon TV adaptation of Celeste Ng's novel Little Fires Everywhere.
Playing Jackson Avery
Jesse Williams started playing Jackson Avery in 2009 and he has been such a staple of the show.
In an interview with The Guardian, Jesse Williams shared that he used to want to be a football player or a lawyer. He cares about social justice and he's much more interested in that than being considered famous.
As he told the publication, “To some people I might be a celebrity because I’m physically attractive. We are programmed to believe that someone is attractive because they told you that blue eyes are hot." He said he won't "participate" and he continued, “I aim to do what I can with what I have. And I have my [looks] – you know, European beauty standards give me access to things.”
It sounds like Jesse Williams has formed some friendships on the set of Grey's Anatomy. According to Cheat Sheet, Williams is pals with Sarah Drew, who played April Kepner, and it's so sweet to hear what he has to say about her. He said, “That’s my buddy. We absolutely talk and see each other regularly, happily, easily. She’s a tremendous, tremendous actress who has a film out now. She produced it and she’s starring in it. She’s a tremendous, tremendous person.”
Buzzfeed News also reported that Williams gets along famously with Ellen Pompeo. He said it's "really cool" and that they have gone on family trips.
Jesse Williams not only gets paid a ton of money to star as Jackson Avery on Grey's Anatomy, but he's someone who cares deeply about other people. He was given a Humanitarian Award at the BET Awards in 2016 and in his speech, he said, according to Vogue.com, “This award is not for me, This is for the real organizers all over the country, the activists, the civil rights attorneys, the struggling parents, the families, the teachers, the students who are realizing that a system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do.” He's a compassionate and inspiring person and fans are going to be watching his career closely.