If you were watching Bravo in 2008, you probably remember a woman named Lisa Wu-Hartwell. She was the firecracker on the first season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She was glamorous, she was married to NFL player Ed Hartwell, and she seemed to have it all. But there was a massive elephant in the room that the cameras never quite caught. Before the NFL husband and the "Housewife" title, she was Keith Sweat ex wife.
And man, that history is messy.
Honestly, it’s one of those Hollywood stories that feels like it’s been scrubbed from the main narrative. While Lisa was busy building her "Closet Freak" clothing line on TV, she was actually in the middle of a years-long, incredibly bitter legal battle with one of the biggest R&B legends of the 90s. We aren't just talking about a standard breakup here. We are talking about restraining orders, custody losses, and some pretty wild allegations that make reality TV drama look like a cartoon.
The 90s Romance: Keith Sweat and Sharon Millette
Before she was Lisa Wu, she went by Sharon Millette. People forget that. She and Keith Sweat tied the knot back in 1992. This was right when Keith was the king of New Jack Swing. They were a power couple in the Atlanta scene long before "Atlanta" was a brand.
The marriage lasted about a decade, which is a lifetime in the entertainment world. They had two sons together: Jordan, born in 1995, and Justin, born in 1998. On the surface, it looked like the R&B dream. But by 2002, the whole thing imploded. When they finally divorced, the court documents that surfaced years later painted a picture that was anything but "Twisted" in a good way.
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Why the Custody Battle Shocked Everyone
Most fans of RHOA were confused when they realized Lisa had two older sons who never appeared on the show. Usually, kids are a huge part of a Housewife’s storyline. But Keith Sweat wasn't having it. He didn't just refuse to let the boys film; he actually had full physical custody of them.
In the early 2000s, a judge made a ruling that was fairly rare at the time: giving the father primary custody. The court papers from their 2003 decree were—to put it bluntly—brutal. The judge described the relationship as "extremely tumultuous."
There were claims flying from both sides. Lisa (then Sharon) alleged that Keith was physically abusive during their marriage. On the flip side, the court expressed serious concerns about Lisa’s lifestyle and stability at the time. The judge actually mentioned that the children lacked structure because of her frequent travel and business ventures. There was even a bizarre allegation in the court record about her implicitly participating in "robbing" Keith in front of the kids, which she has always denied.
Basically, the court decided that the kids were better off in the stable environment Keith provided. This is why, during those early seasons of Housewives, you saw Lisa with her youngest son, EJ (with Ed Hartwell), but the older boys were nowhere to be found.
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Life After the R&B King
Transitioning from being Keith Sweat ex wife to a solo brand wasn't easy. Lisa rebranded herself. She moved away from the name Sharon and became "Lisa Wu." She jumped into real estate, scriptwriting, and eventually, the world of Bravo.
She eventually sued Keith for primary custody again in 2009. Her argument was simple: she had a stable home now, a successful business, and a new marriage. She wanted her boys back.
The battle stayed largely out of the spotlight because Keith Sweat is notoriously private. He’s the kind of guy who wants the music to talk, not his personal life. He stayed quiet while Lisa’s life played out on screen.
- 1992: Keith and Lisa (Sharon) get married.
- 1995-1998: Jordan and Justin are born.
- 2002: The divorce is finalized.
- 2003: Keith wins full custody.
- 2008: Lisa joins The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
- 2009: Lisa files for a custody modification.
Where is Lisa Wu Now?
It is 2026, and Lisa hasn't slowed down. While the "Housewife" days are mostly in the rearview mirror (aside from the occasional guest appearance), she’s carved out a massive lane in the indie film world. She’s producing, she’s acting, and she’s still very much a fixture in the Atlanta social scene.
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What’s interesting is how the relationship with her kids evolved. Despite the messy court battles of the past, she eventually reunited with her sons as they became adults. If you look at her socials today, you’ll see her posing with Jordan and Justin. They’ve grown up. Justin actually followed in the family footsteps, getting into acting and appearing in shows like The Chi.
It’s a reminder that what we see on "Reality TV" is usually about 10% of the actual reality. Lisa spent years being judged for a court ruling from 2003, but she managed to maintain those bonds once the legal red tape was out of the way.
What You Should Take Away From This
The story of Keith Sweat ex wife is really a lesson in public vs. private persona.
- Don't trust the edit: Lisa was portrayed as the "balanced" one on RHOA, while her legal history was filled with chaos.
- People change names for a reason: The shift from Sharon Millette to Lisa Wu was a conscious effort to distance herself from a difficult past.
- Custody isn't always permanent: Even when a parent "loses" in court, the long-term relationship with the kids can still be saved once they have the autonomy to choose for themselves.
If you’re looking to follow her current journey, check out her production credits on IMDB or her recent appearances on various reality "reunion" specials. She’s proven that being an "ex-wife" of a superstar doesn't have to be your only identity.
Next Steps for You: To see the legacy of this family today, you can look up Justin Sweat’s acting reel to see how the next generation is handling the spotlight. You might also want to look into the 2003 Fulton County court records if you're interested in the specific legal precedents set during their custody dispute, as it remains a frequently cited case in Georgia family law regarding "stability" versus "lifestyle."