Married in March 2025, “The Young and the Restless” star Bryton James (Devon Winters) has filed for divorce from his wife, Jahaira James, citing irreconcilable differences.
According to TMZ, which first reported the news, James filed on Monday in Los Angeles, stating the couple has been separated since June and that the court terminate either party’s ability to be awarded spousal support. Further, he’s requesting that Jahaira’s name be restored to her former name upon their divorce being finalized.
A professional dancer, Jahaira performed with Beyoncé during her highly successful “Cowboy Carter” tour, and previously performed with the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group in Las Vegas.
In a since-deleted Instagram post shared earlier this year that included photos of Jahaira dancing at one of the Beyoncé concerts, James captioned the post, saying, “What you’re looking at is the culmination of a lifetime of work, discipline, dedication, strength, bravery, and belief that my love, Jahaira, continues to exude. Her journey is what inspiration wants to be when it grows up. And I am beyond proud to be a witness to her art as we share this life together.”
“Sharing this life and this stage with you is the greatest gift,” responded Jahaira in the comments of James’ post. “Thank you for seeing me the way you do.”
This is the second marriage for James, who was previously married to Ashley Leisinger. The couple was wed on March 16, 2011, in a ceremony officiated by his co-star from “The Young and the Restless,” Christian Le Blanc (Michael Baldwin). They divorced in 2014.
“My ex-wife and I are still very good friends and I’m glad I got the opportunity to be married,” James told Soap Opera Digest the same year he divorced Leisinger. “It was a great experience and I learned a lot from it.”
Appearing in a 2021 episode of “State of Mind with Maurice Benard,” the podcast series hosted by Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos, “General Hospital”), James told Benard at the time, “I don’t think I would get married again because I have different ideas about the institution of marriage and where it comes from and what it’s about.”
Joining the CBS soap opera in 2004, the actor has won two Daytime Emmy Awards for his performance as Devon Winters, including Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series in 2007 and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2020.
In addition to “The Young and the Restless,” James is also known for his iconic role as Richie Crawford (aka “Little Richie”) on the long-running ABC sitcom “Family Matters.”
