Bryton Early

Y&R’s Bryton James Started Off In Show Biz At 2 And Is Still Going Strong

- Devin Owens

Nearly 14 years after starting on Y&R, Bryton James is well aware of the differences between him and his soap alter, Devon Hamilton. “Devon doesn’t think before he acts as much as I do when it comes to falling in love, taking advice from people who care about him and just being logical about situations,” observes the actor. “He seems to like a bit of chaos in his life, while I don’t.”

James’s early life was a lot more stable than Devon’s, thanks to the close connection he had to his father, Eric, and mother, Bette, who made it a priority to create a loving home for their son. “My parents put so much into my upbringing,” he shares. “My mother was with me every single day of my life; I never had babysitters. My father was a musician at a recording studio, working for Kenny Rogers for three years. Then, two months before I was born, Kenny decided to move that studio from L.A. to Nashville and my parents had to make a hard decision. Even though I’m very happy my dad didn’t choose to take us to Nashville, he ended up losing that job and started doing landscaping, installing alarms, painting houses; he probably did every job under the sun. My parents instilled in me that what you do doesn’t define the kind of person you are, it’s how you treat the world around you.”