Soap Hub Performer of the Week The Young and the Restless: Bryton James

Soap Hub Performer of the Week is an ongoing series of articles in which editors pay tribute to a performer from each show, highlighting outstanding performances! For The Young and the Restless, Soap Hub is recognizing the work done by two-time Daytime Emmy winner Bryton James as his character, Devon, learned that his girlfriend Elena had cheated on him with his cousin Nate.

Performer of the Week: Bryton James

“What would I do without you?” Devon rhetorically asked Elena (Brytni Sarpy, compelling as a tearful woman filled with remorse) when she revealed she’d packed his treasured cufflinks so he could wear them on a special night when he was being honored at the Grand Phoenix Hotel for his philanthropic efforts. Devon never thought he’d have to live those words but before the night was over, it’s exactly the future he was facing.

Prior to Elena’s confession, Devon reached out to Nate (Sean Dominic), offering him a supportive ear should he need to talk over his split from Amanda (Mishael Morgan). Viewers were reminded of the close bond between these two, making Elena’s news all the more of a betrayal.

James showed more of Devon’s vulnerability when he made his acceptance speech, thanking his late parents, Neil (Kristoff St. John) and Dru (Victoria Rowell), and his late grandmother, Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper). He also thanked Nate and Elena for running the clinic. This was a night that should have been one of the happiest of Devon’s life.

However, he later expressed his confusion to both Elena and Nate over their secrecy and their odd behavior. In the privacy of their hotel suite, Elena confessed to a stunned Devon that she’d been intimate with his cousin. Devon’s confusion turned into shocked silence and then a simmering rage that only intensified upon seeing Nate in the lobby bar. Devon decked his former pal over the betrayal.

Later, Nursing a drink at Society, Devon replayed recent moments he shared with Elena and Nate, trying to see if he could figure out why he hadn’t put it all together before this. Back at home, Devon was incredulous, asking Elena if he ever made her happy. Devon couldn’t comprehend her making this horrible mistake over the fear of losing him. Nate might be facing permanent nerve loss, but a stoic Devon is the one who feels numb.

Ironically, Elena’s betrayal may end up creating the scenario she never wanted to have happen — Devon ending up in Amanda’s arms. But Amanda is not Hilary. If Devon goes down that path, confusing his late wife’s twin with the woman he once loved more than life itself, he could end up facing heartbreak all over again. The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. Check local listings for air times.