American actor Jesse Williams landed his first acting gig back in 2006 when he appeared in an episode of Law & Order. However, it was until 2009, when he got a role in ABC's medical drama series Grey's Anatomy, that his career skyrocketed.
For today's list, we decided to compile some of the most interesting, yet not-so-known facts about Grey's Anatomy's heartthrob Jesse Williams. From where he had worked before acting to why he's passionate about activism — keep on scrolling to see just what made the list!
10 Jesse Williams Attended Temple University
Another interesting fact about Jesse Williams is that he actually holds a university degree — he attended Temple University in Philadelphia where he graduated with a double major in African-American Studies, and Film and Media Arts. In 2019, Williams went back to his alma mater to be a part of a discussion about social justice and diversity.
9 He Used To Work As A Teacher
Before he started dabbling with acting, Jesse Williams had a real full-time job — he was a teacher for six years. In an interview published in The Guardian, Williams revealed that he loved working as a teacher — even more than working as an actor. "I loved being a teacher. It’s the best thing I have ever done. My favorite job ever. I miss it every day," explained Williams.
8 He Has Two Kids
When it comes to his personal life, even some of his biggest fans don't know many things about the actor. One of them is the fact that he actually has two children with his ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee — a son, Maceo, and a daughter, Sadie. After finalizing their divorce last year, Williams and Drake-Lee agreed to joint custody of their two children.
7 Williams Appeared In Several Music Videos
As an actor, Jesse Williams is not afraid to try out new things — that is why he does movies, TV series, and even music videos. Since the beginning of his career, he's worked with some of the biggest singers out there and he appears in five music videos. He starred in Rihanna's music video for "Russian Roulette" as well as in Demi Lovato's video for "Tell Me You Love Me."
6 He's Very Passionate About Activism
While Jesse Williams is very much involved in activism in general, he's particularly dedicated to racial justice issues. In an interview he gave for Essence Magazine, the Grey's Anatomy actor revealed why he's so passionate about activism.
"I found this incredible chasm between two of the many Americas we have. I got a much better education and resources because of my zip code," said Williams. "I wanted to be part of the solution, so I started working in my community when I was at Temple University"
5 He Even Won A Humanitarian Award
In 2016 Jesse Williams received BET’s Humanitarian Award for his activism. During his speech, the actor said: "This award – this 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 that are realizing that a system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do."
4 Williams Wants To Become A Civil Rights Lawyer
Even though he's managed to get success in the movie and TV industry, Jesse Williams revealed that as a child, he had different aspirations — he wanted to be either a civil rights attorney or a football player. In an interview with the Guardian, the actor said: “That was the plan. It still very well could be the plan. I could still get around to taking the bar. It’s what I love and what I care about. That’s why I wake up.”
3 He Is Currently Dating Taylour Paige
Since September 2018, Williams has been romantically involved with actress Taylour Paige. In an interview with GQ, the actor revealed that they had met during Williams' Emmys party.
He said: “I was in the middle of a conversation with a very close friend, and she walked by. Everything got quiet. I stopped that conversation and said, ‘I'll be right back.’ I just zoomed in on her. The rest of the night, we were this close to each other, talking, laughing, dancing, and ended up together in conversation until six in the morning.”
2 Williams Has An Estimated Net Worth Of $12 Million
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jesse Williams has amassed an estimated net worth of $12 million. That shouldn't really come as a surprise though, just take a look at his filmography. Apart from Grey's Anatomy, Williams has also starred in other successful projects such as The Cabin in the Woods and The Butler. Oh, and according to court documents from his divorce proceedings, Williams has a monthly salary of $521,000.
1 He Does Voice Acting Too
Three years ago, during Sony’s E3 2017 press conference, it was announced that Jesse Williams would star in a video game — he would do voice acting and motion capture for a character in an adventure video game Detroit: Become Human. William also appeared in the basketball video game NBA 2K21, which was released last year.