The Young and the Restless’ Eric Braeden Says Emmy Nomination at 85 ‘Means Everything to Me’ (Excl)
The Young and the Restless legend Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor at the 2026 Daytime Emmys, the 11th time he’s competed for the statuette. The actor, who last took home the award in 1998, spoke to Soap Opera Digest about his latest recognition.
Eric Braeden on Return to the Daytime Emmy Race
“I am happy about the nomination,” declares Braeden. “It’s always nice.”
Braeden was last nominated in 2024, and prior to that, it had been two decades since he had last put himself in the running for a Daytime Emmy. Explains Braeden, “For a long time, I refused to submit any nominating material because I thought it was a popularity contest.”
In essence, he felt that actors currently working in soaps voting for their peers made the process “too incestuous.”And while he still feels that the voting panel “should be a completely independent group of actors,” he was persuaded to resume submitting himself by a trusted Y&R colleague.
Still, having worked in daytime television since 1980, Braeden feels that “you have to take it with a grain of salt.” That’s because, in his opinion, the voters don’t always get it right.
Case in point: Braeden’s longtime leading lady, Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki), not getting a nomination for her bravura work in the climax of Nikki’s 2024 addiction storyline. “Melody should have been nominated for her scenes with Peter Bergman [Jack], the scenes of debauchery in the Athletic Club. She and Peter were both brilliant and they both should have won. Period, hands down.”
At the same time, Braeden acknowledges, he and his fellow cast members — indeed, everyone who works in daytime TV — work hard and deserve to be recognized. “We work harder than anyone else in Hollywood,” he says. “I have such respect for the medium. People don’t realize, we shoot over 100 pages a day!”
And whatever quibbles he may have with the nominating process, being nominated definitely carries great meaning to him. “Of course!” he nods. “I would be a total hypocrite if I said it didn’t. It means everything to me.”
Hearing his name called on the big night would also bring him great joy. “Are you kidding? I would love it, no question about it.”
This year, the actor earned his nomination on the strength of a reel that focused on Victor firing his attorney, Michael. Michael’s portrayer, Christian J. LeBlanc, submitted the very same scenes, and also landed a Lead Actor nomination. “I think it’s so funny we both got nominated for that,” Braeden chuckles. And if his co-star wins, he winks, “I will simply tell him, ‘I won’t allow it!’ and he will not get paid. I will fire him again!”In all seriousness, Braeden says fondly of LeBlanc, “He’s a wonderful actor and great to work with — except he makes me laugh too much, and vice versa! He and Dougie Davidson [ex-Paul] are the most difficult people to stay serious with.”
The 85-year-old superstar notched his first Daytime Emmy nomination 39 yeas ago, and with a remarkable 44 years as Victor Newman under his belt, he is the longest-tenured actor nominated this year. Marvels Braeden, “It’s a beautiful thing. When I signed my first contract, it was for three months and then I wanted to get out!”
He stayed, of course, because of the layers of depth infused into the character by the late co-creator and then-head writer of Y&R, William J. Bell. “I have thank him, because he wrote such interesting stuff for Victor Newman that we are still drawing from.”
Braeden plans to attend the October 30 ceremony, “If I can find a tuxedo that fits me,” he jokes, noting that he could always borrow one from Victor’s designer wardrobe. “I heard he might have some pull with the wardrobe department,” he teases of his alter ego.
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