The Real Reason Why Y&R’s Eric Braeden Didn’t Submit A Daytime Emmy Reel For 20 Years

The Young and the Restless star Eric Braeden disclosed that he hadn’t submitted any reels for Daytime Emmy nomination consideration in two decades. There’s a reason why he chose not to put his name up for daytime’s biggest award.

Voting Process Concerns

The actor, who portrays the iconic Victor Newman, had some serious issues with the voting procedure for the Daytime Emmys. Now that the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has changed the rules about who can vote for an Emmy, he felt good about submitting his scenes for consideration.

Since 1980, Eric Braeden has won the hearts of fans as the cunning, ruthless, yet charismatic Victor Newman on Y&R. Between 1987 and 2004, he was nominated eight times in the Outstanding Lead Actor category, with one win in 1998. Being a fixture on the soap opera and churning out one memorable performance after another, fans wondered why he hadn’t submitted video reels featuring some of his best scenes to the Daytime Emmy Awards for consideration since 2004, but is now up for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series in 2024. (Find out when the awards show will air.)

While many of his fans have speculated that he prefers to focus on his craft rather than seeking acclaim for his work, he spoke to Michael Fairman TV recently and set the record straight. Feeling happy about this current nomination, Braeden explained, “I had not submitted any stuff for more than 10 years because I didn’t believe in the voting process. Finally, the academy had the sense to invite outsiders to widen the circle of those who vote for this.”

Creating more transparency in the voting process helped change Braeden’s opinion. “You cannot ask for objectivity when you vote from within only your company. That’s nonsense. Then, personalities play a role in who likes who,” he stated, adding, “I’m very happy about the nomination, though.” 

Of his peers who were nominated in the same category, Braeden cheekily remarked, “Thorsten Kaye (Ridge, B&B) is a very good actor. I’ve known John McCook (Eric, B&B) for 150 years, I think 140 years, maybe. And the other gentlemen, I don’t know, but I’m sure they’re all worthy of receiving the same award.” (Check out all of this year’s Lead Actor nominees.)

NATAS Clearly Listened to Braeden’s Words

Exclaiming, “Oh, that’s nice,” when he learned of his current nomination, Braeden felt vindicated. “Someone had listened because I’d complained for years about the voting system, and it was based on pure laziness as far as I’m concerned,” he stated, further remarking that “There are 150,000 registered actors in Hollywood. You can’t tell me that you can vote only from within your company. It’s nonsense. It’s not right. You know, let other actors from the outside be judges of what they see.”

While the nomination is good, and winning would be great for Braeden, the incredible daytime television legacy he’s created and his status as an icon will continue regardless.