Actress Jaime King has spoken publicly for the first time about her contentious custody battle with ex-husband Kyle Newman, describing the experience as “terrifying” and “horrifying.” In a recent episode of Jana Kramer's podcast Whine Down, the 45-year-old said she had “never talked” about the legal fight before, but felt compelled to share her story.
King, who shares sons James, 14, and Leo, 9, with Newman, was granted sole physical custody of the children last month after a court found she had not completed a six-month drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme. The former couple have joint legal custody, but Newman has “tie-breaking authority.” King claimed that many reports about the case are “inaccurate,” but said she had remained silent to protect her children.
“My duty as a mother is to protect my children and that’s all that matters to me,” King said. “I never wanted my children to think that some, any part of them was wrong.” She added that the legal system is “really unfair” and called for more support for families.
The One Tree Hill alum also addressed the financial toll of the battle, which she said has been “extremely stressful and distracting from her work.” In March, she faced a separate lawsuit from her landlord, who claimed King owed more than $42,000 in rent. King later said the matter was “resolved privately.”
King married Newman in 2007 and filed for divorce in 2020. She has previously sought to modify child and spousal support orders, citing an inability to pay. Newman had accused her of being “out of compliance” with court orders for over a year.
