Occupation: Former CEO of Sunset Studios

Parents: Marcus and Gloria Blackthorne

Siblings: Georgie Blackthorne

Children: Stormy and Miranda Blackthorne

Grandchildren: R.J Blackthorne, Tiger Jennings, Caroline Blackthorne

Relationships: Lara Devon, Alex Reynolds, Leigh Purcell, Brooke Taylor, Mackenzie Stone

Appearances: Seasons 1-Current; The Blackthornes (Seasons 1-6)

Who’d Play Him: Billy Campbell

The Patriarch Holding the Family Together: James Blackthorne remained one of Hollywood’s most powerful producers and the longtime force behind Sunset Studios. The father of Miranda and Stormy, he had spent decades protecting both the Blackthorne family and the entertainment empire built around them.

James shared a long and complicated history with actress Alex Reynolds, with whom he had two children. Although their marriage ended years earlier, they remained permanently connected through their family. He later married Brooke Taylor, whose romantic connection to James’s nephew Ethan led to the dissolution their marriage. His third marriage was to former teen actress Lara Devon, but her alcoholism and growing insecurities placed their marriage in serious trouble.

After Lara returned from rehabilitation, she became convinced that James and Suzanne were having an affair. Their relationship was platonic, but James concealed some of their contact to avoid provoking Lara’s suspicions. Shortly after he admitted that he was uncertain about the future of their marriage, Lara disappeared. James remained unaware that she had been killed during a struggle with Suzanne and that Mickey Donovan had helped conceal her death.

James continued serving as a steady presence for the people around him. He supported Miranda during the collapse of her agency, helped Jordan Rydell expose Mickey’s criminal operation at Rydell Productions, and welcomed Ethan back into the family.