“I stopped using drugs at 17” - Jaime King claims ex-husband misrepresented stories to win custody of sons

Actress Jaime King is opening up about her custody battle with her ex-husband, filmmaker Kyle Newman.

In a recent episode of the podcast Whine Down With Jana Kramer, King revealed that Newman obtained physical custody of their two sons after alleging that she is unfit due to her struggles with substance abuse.

When asked about her sobriety by Jana Kramer, 45-year-old King responded that she has been sober since before she turned 17. King said,

“I've never had to think about myself like sober or not sober. I stopped using drugs at 17 or something”

King clarified further, saying,

“Essentially, what has been said is inaccurate. And I haven't been able to say anything about it for the protection of my children…I just, I simply don't know how this is possible. And I don't want to live my life in shock. I want to find a solution.”

Jaime King and Kyle Newman's divorce and custody battle explored

Jamie King, who was formerly a model, entered Hollywood with the 2001 film Happy Camper. King met Newman on the set of his film Fanboys in 2005, according to ABC News.

The couple tied the knot in 2009 in Los Angeles, as reported by People Magazine. King and Newman have two sons, James and Leo, aged 11 and 9, respectively. According to People Magazine, the former couple's 13-year marriage ended in 2020 when King filed for divorce, along with a domestic violence prevention petition and related child custody motions.

According to US Weekly, King was granted a temporary restraining order that she had requested. However, later that year, Newman filed motions stating that King was unable to care for their children due to her struggles with substance abuse. In response, King submitted motions asserting she had no drug-related problems and accused Newman of undermining her career, as reported by the news outlet.

In March 2025, People Magazine reported that Newman was awarded sole physical custody of the former couple's children, while both parents still maintain joint legal custody, according to court documents. The news outlet also reported that Newman has "tie-breaking authority" regarding custody. Under this arrangement, People Magazine noted that Jaime King was granted visitation rights to see her children three times per week, but strictly under supervision, as she has not completed a six-month long drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, along with additional counseling and therapy requirements.

Jaime King also discussed the legal battle surrounding her kids' custody during the podcast saying,

“I just didn't know when I, you know, got married at a young age and it was something I was very proud of. And I just didn't know that the world works like this, I didn't know that legal systems work like this…I'm extremely grateful and at the same time, the system is really unfair. And I think that it's really important to support the structure of family and, and kindness.”

Jaime King's past struggles with addiction explored

Jaime King began her professional modeling career at the young age of 13, and she has been open about the impact that being in the fashion industry had on a young child. In a 2024 interview with The Cut, King was asked when she was first given dr*gs. She responded,

“I was 14…But I also remember being naked as a 14-year-old, 15-year-old, 16-year-old, even at 13 years old, dude, it’s — I remember being naked in a bathtub for Italian Vogue when I was not even 14 years old. I remember being given Champagne, and I never knew what to do with that. How could any child know what it is to do with that?”

King also revealed to The Cut that the harsh requirements of the fashion industry prompted her decision to shift careers to acting at the age of 18. She said,

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“I’ll never forget the reaction, like, ‘What are you doing? You’re just going to stop?! You’re barely 18, you’re at the height of your career. Why would you walk away from earning as much as you do in a day?’ But it wasn’t about the money and fame for me.”

King starred in "Hart of Dixie," "Pearl Harbor," "Sin City," and "Lights Out. "As a director, he has also worked on two short films.

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