‘Y&R’ Star Eric Braeden Gets Candid About ‘Ups and Downs’ After Losing His Home

Stephanie Sloane February 7, 2025, 2:57 pm

It’s been a period of highs and lows for The Young and the Restless superstar Eric Braeden (Victor Newman). While the actor is marking 45 years on the No. 1 soap on February 8, in real life, he lost his house last month in the fires that swept through Pacific Palisades.

“It’s been kind of peculiar,” Braeden allows. “Emotionally, you go through ups and downs, but we shall take it step by step. There are uncertainties regarding insurance, and it’s a very difficult situation. When I saw the ashes, I looked into the rubble and remembered my wife and my granddaughter, who we adore, sitting there before Christmas and having a wonderful conversation about her experiences and her travels. But you’re never really fully prepared for the unforeseen events in life. I grew up during the Second World War, and that was arguably worse, so some of me is optimistic. You just look forward. Screw it all.”

Being able to channel his energy into playing Victor has been a welcome distraction for Braeden. “Oh, completely,” he nods. “You need to focus, otherwise you can’t do the scenes, so it gives you a little relief from the constant concerns and worries.”

Braeden says he and his family are talking about next steps in terms of their house and property. “We’re formulating the plan,” he shares. “I don’t want to rush into it. So far, we intend to rebuild, but that is contingent on insurance companies actually insuring us in those areas. That’s going to be a huge problem. On the one hand, they would want to rebuild the Palisades and other communities like it quickly because it’s an enormous tax base and finances all kinds of other situations in the city, so it is in everyone’s interest to rebuild quickly, but that can only happen after a thorough cleaning up of the soil, etc. So, it’s all in the works right now. I don’t think anyone has a definitive answer.”

Eric Braeden and Melody Thomas Scott on 'Y&R'

Monty Brinton/CBS

A bright spot for his family has been the success of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, which was written and directed by Braeden’s son, Christian Gudegast. “It was number one in the box office for a while and I couldn’t be happier,” Braeden enthuses. “It’s interesting how life works. That was an enormous feeling of success and happiness, and then on the other hand, you are reminded of what you lost — 40 years of accumulated memories.”

Another high point is that he’s celebrating 45 years on Y&R, something Braeden never could have envisioned when he first began working on the soap in 1980. “If you had told me that then I would have said you’re crazy,” he muses. But there are a host of reasons why he has stuck around Genoa City for over four decades. “I love the show and I love playing the character. He is self-made. He is suspicious. He’s tough. He’s hard. But he’s also vulnerable and he wants family more than anything because he didn’t have it growing up in an orphanage. It’s difficult for Victor to trust. And this is all inherent in the groundwork that [Y&R’s co-creator and former head writer] Bill Bell laid.”

Braeden is aware of the reach his character has — he’s arguably the most recognizable face from the show — but won’t take all the credit for Victor’s popularity. “In the end, it is hard to define,” he offers. “You can’t define really define someone’s success in this business. It’s a marriage of the right role, the right time, on the right network, surrounded by the right people. It’s serendipitous, really.”

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When pressed to name something he wishes he could have played more in his four-plus decades, Braeden responds, “Well, I kind of regret that there wasn’t this ongoing relationship with Ashley [Abbott, Eileen Davidson] — that could have always been looming in the background — but other than that, to be frank with you, no. I have enormous respect for the writers because I would not want to do what they do. I really would not. I don’t know how they do it. Do I disagree sometimes? Well, of course. Sometimes you do, but it is my task to make it real. That is the challenge and it’s more of a challenge than you realize. But writers are the most unsung people in this business, really. I also know from my son. I know what he goes through when he writes a script.”

Braeden reveals that he still gets a thrill when he has a good day at the studio. “It’s in the little moments,” he explains. “I just did a scene with Christian LeBlanc [Michael Baldwin], and he and I talked about it afterward and he did something in the scene, and I did something in the scene that suddenly made it all more real. I cannot often predict what I’ll do in a scene, but when you really listen and suddenly something comes to you, boom. It’s those moments I cherish. I love them. I don’t know why that excites me, but it does.”

While his focus over the years has been firmly on the soap, one memorable project Braeden was a part of was playing John Jacob Astor IV in the 1997 blockbuster, Titanic. Braeden says he knew it would be a hit, despite some concern from those around him. “I’m the only one who did,” he recalls. “And I remember being interviewed by [famed Variety writer] Army Archerd. He said, ‘Why are you the only one who says this is going to be a success? Everyone else is afraid it will sink 20th [Century Studios] and sink Paramount because it costs too much money.’ I said, ‘Very simple. It’s a soap opera, a very expensive soap opera. And I know something about soap operas.’ ”

Melody Thomas Scott and Eric Braeden on 'Y&R'

Monty Brinton/CBS

Braeden and his family had a special experience during the production of the movie. “My son, who was a film student then, and my wife wanted to come to the location,” he relays. “James Cameron, to me, is one of the geniuses in this business. He knows everything about filmmaking and then some. So, he stopped shooting and took me, my wife, my son, and my son’s girlfriend into his trailer, and he showed us the first five minutes that were cut together. I got goosebumps. I turned to him and I said, ‘You’re gonna make a sh**load of money.’ And he said, ‘From your mouth to God’s ears.’ I knew then it would make a fortune, and I knew then that Leonardo DiCaprio was a damn good actor. In between scenes, he would imitate some other actors so perfectly, it’s incredible. I said, ‘This guy is very gifted.’ ”

As for what’s kept him in Genoa City all these years, Braeden reflects, “It’s the realization when I drive to work that I have a job. We entertain millions of people all over the world and that gives you a certain feeling of responsibility to do it as well as you can, and it gives you some joy as well. We have some damn good actors on the show. It’s love working with Joshua Morrow [Nick Newman], Mark Grossman [Adam Newman], Amelia Heinle [Victoria Newman], Melissa Ordway [Abby Newman], who, unfortunately, I’ve not seen much lately, Melody [Thomas Scott, Nikki Newman], obviously, Peter Bergman [Jack Abbott], Christian LeBlanc [Michael Baldwin], and Christel Khalil [Lily Winters]. They’re all wonderful.”

Sonja Flemming/CBS

Braeden declares that he has no plans to step away from the job anytime soon. “No,” he says firmly. “There were moments, obviously, during negotiations and all that where you say, ‘OK, that’s it. Bon voyage,’ and then it always works out. But the actors I used to work with in the ’60s on nighttime television and film are either not working or they’re gone, passed away. I’m a stubborn son of a bitch. I’m still here.”

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