Young and Restless Icon Eric Braeden Chats Live With Michael Fairman
On Friday, February 7 at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT, Young and Restless icon Eric Braeden will be chatting live with Michael Fairman on his YouTube channel as he marks another milestone in his incredible daytime run as Victor Newman: February 8 marks the 45th anniversary of the Daytime Emmy-winning actor’s s debut on the top-rated CBS soap opera.
Back in 1980, the actor first signed on to the show in what was intended to be a short-term run as Victor; his first contract was for a mere three months “at the most,” as Braeden put it to Soap Opera Digest in a 2023 interview. Things did not get off to an auspicious start; the actor told Digest in that same conversation of his first day on the job, “Couldn’t stand it. Didn’t like it at all! It was much too much dialogue. I didn’t like the way they were filming. I came from nighttime television and film, so I wasn’t used to this three or four camera [format]. In nighttime, it’s, ‘Quiet, rolling, action!’ Here, it’s ‘5, 4, 3, 2, 1.’ All these [technical] things were new to me and what soon became obvious to me is that it was a very ruthless medium in the sense that it goes so fast.”
Infamously, though, the actor agreed to extend his contract, and over the years, he has become an icon of the show and a superstar of the genre, earning nine nominations for Outstanding Leading Actor at the Daytime Emmys (he won once, in 1998) and 12 Soap Opera Digest Award nominations, winning for Outstanding Lead Actor in 1997 and 2001). He was also honored with a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a Daytime Serial in 1992.
Outside of his storied career in daytime, Braeden has also worked in prime-time (The Rat Patrol, Gunsmoke) and in feature films (Escape from Planet of the Apes, Titanic).
During his live chat with Fairman, expect a discussion of Braeden’s time in Genoa City, his relationships with his longtime leading lady, Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki), and his on-screen kids, portrayed by Joshua Morrow (Nick), Amelia Heinle (Victoria), Melissa Ordway (Abby) and Mark Grossman (Adam), as well as the storylines Victor has been involved in, both in the past and more recently, such as Victor’s triumph over Ian Ward earlier in 2025 (Ray Wise, who played Ian, talks about working with Braeden here).
Braeden will also discuss his relationship to fame and other personal matters, such as the devastation he experienced at the hands of the recent Los Angeles wildfires, which burned his home of over 40 years to the ground. The actor will also field questions from viewers during the livestream chat.
To participate in the livestream interview, click here.
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