Eric Braeden has been part of The Young and the Restless for over four decades, playing Victor Newman. However, the actor recently shared that his time on the soap could have been much shorter, with him even considering walking away himself. He then shared what convinced him to stay on as the character.
Eric Braeden Joined The Young & The Restless In 1980
As an actor, Braeden is best known for bringing Victor Newman to life on the soap opera, The Young and the Restless. He first took on the role in 1980 and continued to play the part for decades.
Initially, the role was only intended to last for around 26 weeks. However, the character proved popular enough that Braeden’s contract was extended. However, the actor recently shared that his time on the soap could have been much shorter.
Recently, Braeden appeared on the podcast, Still Here Hollywood, where she talked about playing Victor with host Steve Kmetko. As he shared, the character was originally supposed to be killed off. However, the show’s co-creators, William J. Bell and his wife, Lee Phillip Bell, ended up taking things in a different direction.
Braeden admitted that he was initially alright with leaving the soap. As he shared, “They had gotten to a point where I wanted to leave the show after about a year. I couldn’t stand the medium, to be frank with you. It is daunting.”
In general, Braeden admitted a bit of burnout with daytime dramas. He continued, “There’s nothing harder in this business for an actor and for a writer, for that matter, than daytime. It’s the hardest medium there is. I’ve done them all. It is relentless, ruthless.”
Braeden Has Often Debunked Rumors Saying He’s About To Retire From The Soap
As he explained, Braeden would often have to memorize 15 to 45 pages of lines for episodes. He pointed out, “The most I’ve done is 62 in one day. So, it doesn’t leave much room for, ‘How do you think I should play this?’ Do you understand? You just do it.”
However, there was one thing that especially convinced Braeden to stay on in the role. This was Bell telling him that he helped to “humanize” Victor. In the world of soap operas, a villainous character becoming more sympathetic due to a charismatic actor is a common aspect of the genre.
This was also something Braeden was happy to hear. As he noted, “I said, ‘Bill, I can’t do this anymore. I’ve played bad guys for too many years. Too dehumanizing. It’s boring.’” He previously played villainous characters on shows like Gunsmoke and Wonder Woman.
Learning more about Victor’s past also helped convince Braden to stay, especially with the story potential it had. As he shared, “I was left at an orphanage at the age of 7 by a destitute mother who had left an alcoholic, brutalizing father played by George Kennedy. And once I did that scene, I said, ‘Now I’m staying.’ Because it opened up huge possibilities.”
At this time, Braeden has played Victor for nearly 46 years. As previously reported, he has often debunked rumors claiming that he has any interest in retiring anytime soon.
What is your reaction to Eric Braeden’s recent share? Are you keeping up with The Young and the Restless? Have you been following this story? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.
John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.