What Happened to Damian Kane on Young and Restless — Everything You Need To Know

Given the way the character of Damian Kane was introduced on Young and Restless, it’s perfectly understandable for viewers to be more than a little confused. It was originally believed that Nathan Owens was playing Damian, but it turned out that wasn’t him at all! In the Feb. 3, 2025 episode of Y&R, actor Jermaine Rivers made his debut in the role. Let us explain…

Damian’s name was first mentioned in October 2024 when Amy Lewis arrived in Genoa City to speak with Nate Hastings about his half-brother. She explained that she had been pregnant by his father, Nathan Hastings, when she left town years ago and she had lost touch with her son. Revealing that she was dying of leukemia, Amy asked Nate if he would please help track down his brother. With the help of private investigator Denise Tolliver, Damian was found in Los Angeles.

In January 2025, Nate met with Damian at a cafe in California and offered him a job working at Winters. After considering the offer, Damian told Nate he would accept, but Denise learned that the various companies that Damian had been moving between were ones that he actually owned. When Damian arrived in Genoa City, Nate finally revealed that he’d offered him a position at the family business because he’s family and Amy wants to see him again. With Nate unwilling to offer up any more details, Damian angrily stormed off.

However, when he went to Chancellor Park, he met with the real Damian Kane, who was waiting for his report. The man, whose real name is Holden, explained that Amy wanted to reconnect with him, but Damian wasn’t interested. He asked Holden to continue pretending to be him until they can figure out exactly what Nate and Amy are really up to. Of course, when Amy came face-to-face with “Damian,” she knew he wasn’t her son, and Holden was forced to reveal the truth.

Holden reported back to Damian that his mother was so desperate to see him because she was very ill, so he reluctantly agreed to meet with her. Damian was shaken when Amy revealed that she had cancer and not much time left to live, but completely shattered when she also informed him that Jackson Kane wasn’t his biological father — Nathan Hastings was. Angry, Damian refused to accept Nate as his half brother and considered returning to Los Angeles.

Convinced to stick around, Damian reconnected with his dying mother and even established a new bond with Nate as they came together to help Amy receive an experimental treatment out of town. He kicked off a flirtation with Lily Winters, but that hit a snag when she accused him of going after Hamilton Winters on behalf of his boss, the mysterious businessman Aristotle Dumas. He denied the accusations and offered to prove himself to Lily and her family by spying on Dumas on their behalf. But when Dumas fired Damian, Holden was furious that his friend had taken him down with him.

When Dumas invited some of Genoa City’s power players to his estate in France, Damian and Lily grew closer. When Dumas revealed that he was really Cane Ashby, Damian feared that Lily was only putting on a show to prove she wanted nothing to do with her ex-husband, but she assured him her feelings were genuine. They even took their relationship to the next level by making love in her room on the train.

Tragically, their newfound happiness was cut short when Damian was killed. While having a conversation with Cane, the two men realized they’d been drugged, and a knife was thrown into Damian’s back. Lily was heartbroken and blamed Cane for his death.