Is Janelle James Married? The Actress Once Spoke about Her Former Husband

Television star Janelle James is relatively private about her personal life and has revealed why that is. It is unclear whether she is married because she keeps details of her life under wraps, including her age.

Despite being low-key about certain aspects of her life, Janelle James previously discussed her former husband, including info about one of her kids, while refusing to reveal details about the other.

She is a mother of two and once revealed what type of parent she is to her children. She also disclosed what led to the end of her marriage and would prefer to shield her family from the spotlight.

James is an actress, writer, and producer. But she is best known for being a comedian based between New York and Los Angeles. She appears on Netflix's "The Comedy Lineup" and Showtime's "Black Monday" on Showtime.

The St. Thomas, Virgin Islands native has toured with Chris Rock, Amy Schumer, and David Cross. She also stars in the award-winning television series, "Abbott Elementary," as Ava Coleman alongside Quinta Brunson, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Tyler James Williams.

Janelle James Gets Second Emmy Nod for Breakout Role on 'Abbott Elementary'

Playing Coleman in "Abbott Elementary" has gained Janelle James critical acclaim. Even though this is her breakout role as an actress, she has earned her second Emmy nomination. She portrays an awkward yet confident elementary school principal in the hit ABC workplace comedy show.

The role comes after being a stand-up comedian for several years across the country. In a July interview, James talked about her Emmy nod for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy and admitted that it still has a significant impact on her:

"After the last Emmys, you kind of start getting ready for the next Emmys. But it’s still a huge deal."

Janelle James Is a Mother of Two & Protects Her Family's Privacy

James' Hollywood career began in 2011 when she stumbled upon an open mic night while residing in Champaign, Illinois. Before that, she had lived in New York. The rising star, a mom of two sons, once revealed she was "being a mom" when she first joined the first stand-up mic night.

When asked how she ended up in Illinois during an April 2023 interview, James boldly replied, "I don't want to," and laughed. That is because she keeps her personal life low-key apart from a few stories in her stand-up. She revealed why that is:

"I am reluctantly famous and because of that, I'm protecting the people around me as well. My whole family is very private. So I don’t know how realistic it is, but I’d like to keep part of myself out of this machine if possible."

Janelle James Refuses to Disclose Her Age – She Talks Former Husband & Kids

James' Instagram account, with over 200k followers, mainly shows posts about her work projects and photos of herself and her achievements. Although now well-known, thanks to her stint on "Abbott Elementary," she does not like the attention that comes with celebrity status.

Instead, she would focus on her craft and skills, which she has done her whole life. The Hollywood star was born and bred in St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and is now a Los Angeles resident. Growing up, she worked on her father's food truck from the age of seven.

She studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and after graduating, she fell in love, tied the knot, and started a family. James and her then-husband welcomed two sons, one of whom is 20, according to a 2023 interview. However, she has declined to disclose her age, too, saying:

"I'm grown. I have a 20-year-old son. I'm not ashamed of my age or anything like that. But for women — and everybody knows it and acts like they don't — it gives an idea of what you are in people's heads."

People in show business reportedly assume James is a "mom comic" when they learn she is a parent of two, and she does not want that to be her jam. Unfortunately, the actress and her husband split though she revealed no details.

Her then-husband was a teacher who landed a job in the Midwest, so the family relocated to Illinois. The actress became a devoted mom putting her focus on her boys, and that was when everything began to crumble. She revealed, "I was kind of floating in space, not knowing what I was doing with myself. I had left all my friends. My relationship fell apart there."