Family Matters star Bryton James finalizes divorce but ex asks for spousal support, saying he mak...
James has played billionaire Devon Hamilton on “The Young and the Restless” since 2004.
Family Matters star Bryton James finalizes divorce but ex asks for spousal support, saying he makes $34k a month
James has played billionaire Devon Hamilton on "The Young and the Restless" since 2004.
By Kathleen Perricone
on April 22, 2026 11:19 p.m. ET
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Bryton James; Jahaira Myers. Credit:
Valery HACHE / AFP; Jahaira Myers/instagram
- Bryton James, star of *Family Matters* and *The Young and the Restless*, finalized his divorce from Jahaira Myers last month.
- In a new filing, she's seeking spousal support, claiming the actor earns $34,000 a month.
- Myers is a professional dancer who recently performed on Beyonce's *Cowboy Carter Tour*.
Bryton James’ divorce has been finalized, yet the family matters continue.
Jahaira Myers, ex-wife of the *Family Matters* alum and current star on *The Young and the Restless*, has reportedly filed a request for spousal support.
According to TMZ, Myers, a professional dancer who has worked with Beyonce and Usher, claims James earns more than $34,000 a month, while her income is about $1,150 per week before taxes. Myers cites the unpredictability of her industry, with short-term gigs dependent on live performances, rehearsals, and touring schedules.
'Family Matters' and 'Young and the Restless' star Bryton James files for divorce after less than a year of marriage
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'Family Matters' star Jo Marie Payton shares she had a health scare that left her unable to walk or talk
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Jahaira Myers did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment, nor did representatives for Bryton James.
James and Myers separated in June 2025 after only three months of marriage. The actor filed for divorce that October, citing irreconcilable differences, and asked to terminate the ability of the court to award spousal support.
The estranged couple’s divorce was finalized on March 24. Weeks later, Myers filed for support.
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Bryton James (right) on 'The Young and the Restless' on CBS.
Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty
Not long after their March 2025 wedding, Myers hit the road with Beyonce for the *Cowboy Carter Tour*. James was a proud husband, sharing photos in May of his then-wife performing onstage with Queen B.
“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,” he captioned the since-deleted Instagram post. “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.”
Myers left a comment, telling her husband: “Sharing this life and this stage with you is the greatest gift. Thank you for seeing me the way you do.”
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Bryton James and Telma Hopkins on 'Family Matters'. Walt Disney Television via Getty Images
This was the second marriage for James, who was previously wed to Ashley Leisinger for three years until 2014.
In a 2021 interview, he admitted he didn’t think he’d ever walk down the aisle again “because I have different ideas about the institution of marriage and where it comes from and what it's about… And also, I've learned a lot about myself and how I feel about children. It’s something that I’ve always kind of known that I didn’t want to have children, but it wasn’t something that has been as concrete as it is now.”
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James joined *The Young and the Restless* in 2004 as billionaire Devon Hamilton, a role for which he’s won two Daytime Emmy Awards. As a child actor, he portrayed Richie Crawford on *Family Matters* for seven seasons until the sitcom’s end in 1998.
*Correction: This article has been to reflect that James was previously married to Ashley Leisinger, not his *The Young and the Restless* costar Christian J. LeBlanc. EW regrets the error.*
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