A three-episode event honoring Victor Newman has fans asking if Eric Braeden is retiring from The Young and the Restless. CBS is paying tribute to Eric’s 40th anniversary as Victor with a trip down memory lane that includes several flashbacks.
It is a treat for fans to relive some of the most memorable moments of Victor’s life in Genoa City. The episodes also showcase the incredible acting talent of Eric. Without him, there would be no Victor Newman.
On-screen, Victor’s friends, family, and foes have gathered to celebrate the business mogul and his successful company Newman Enterprises. Off-screen, Eric’s costars, fans, and family have expressed their sheer appreciation for the incredible man.
Is Eric retiring from Y&R?
The hoopla honoring Eric has some die-hard soap fans concerned the actor is retiring from the CBS show. His alter ego, Victor may have stepped back from Newman Enterprises, but thankfully Eric has no plans to follow Victor into retirement.
In a recent interview with People magazine to discuss his 40 years on Y&R, Eric marveled at how lucky he is to still be working.
Acting is not a stable business. However, thanks to his longevity on the hit daytime drama, Eric has been working in showbiz since 1962. He even revealed that three months is the longest amount of time he has been unemployed since starting his acting career.
Remember when Jill thought Victor was proposing? ? @JessWaltonYR does! It's one of her favorite #YR moments with @EBraeden. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/WW5NJrofGo
— Young and Restless (@YandR_CBS) February 19, 2020
“I’m deeply grateful to having worked with such great colleagues over the years and having had such great support from my family, from my wife. You know, I consider myself very fortunate,” Eric expressed.
Although he loves playing Victor, Eric revealed he hopes to do more Shakespeare and work with Meryl Streep in the future. Eric is a big fan of the Oscar winner, and it would be a dream for him to work with her.
Eric credits Dabney Coleman for his soap opera career
Eric is considered one of the most iconic and legendary men in the daytime industry. However, his lengthy career almost didn’t happen.
The actor didn’t even know what soap operas were when he was offered to audition. It took a little coaxing from his pal, Dabney Coleman to convince Eric to take a meeting.
We're remembering some of our favorite moments with @EBraeden all day long in honor of his tribute episode! He and @CJLeBlanc have definitely had a lot of laughs on set. ?#YR pic.twitter.com/25YqrbsbW4
— Young and Restless (@YandR_CBS) February 19, 2020
‘Do it. You’ll love it,’ in his typically cryptic fashion. I didn’t even know there was television during the day. I really didn’t. It was the farthest thing from my mind, and here I am 40 years later,” he expressed.
It is hard to imagine a time when Eric Braeden was not part of The Young and the Restless as the ruthless, yet dedicated, family man Victor Newman. Luckily for fans, right now, that is something they don’t have to imagine. Eric is happy to continue playing Victor for years to come.
The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS.