In a surprising new career twist, The Young and the Restless legend Peter Bergman, who portrays Jack Abbott, joined the cast of Vince Gilligan’s new Apple TV+ drama Pluribus. The three-time Daytime Emmy winner sat down with TV Insider to reveal how the role came about — and the answer lies in his decades-long friendship with Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston.
Key Takeaways
- Bergman’s secret Pluribus role came directly from creator Vince Gilligan.
- His friendship with Bryan Cranston opened the door to the opportunity.
- He filmed a seven-page monologue in a pivotal scene at the end of the premiere episode.
A Friendship That Spanned Decades
Bergman shared that his connection with Cranston dates back to the 1980s, when both men were starring in ABC soaps. “Bryan and I met on a softball field in Central Park when I was on All My Children and he was on Loving,” he recalled.
Their friendship grew beyond the set — their wives became close, and the families vacationed together through the years. Bergman even supported Cranston through the tough early days of his career, long before Malcolm in the Middle or Breaking Bad made him a household name.
Through Cranston, Bergman met Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan, who later reached out with a role tailor-made for him. “Vince texted me and said, ‘Hey, I have this thing coming up that I think you’d be perfect for,’” Bergman shared. “I said, ‘As long as it fits into my Y&R schedule, I’d love that.’”
Inside the Secret World of Pluribus
When Bergman received the script, he was struck by the project’s secrecy. “I had to sign an NDA, and it was a watermarked script,” he said, adding that the series went through multiple working titles before settling on Pluribus.
His character, credited as “Distinguished Gentleman,” appears in the final moments of the first episode in a seven-minute, dialogue-heavy scene. “We could only shoot it from beginning to end every time,” Bergman explained. “Once they said ‘action,’ I was talking for almost seven pages.”
He praised the experience, especially the talented and female-led crew that had worked on Gilligan’s previous hits. Bergman also bonded with Better Call Saul star Rhea Seehorn, calling her “a thoughtful, compassionate actress” who patiently rehearsed with him despite having only a few lines.
From Daytime to Primetime
Now celebrating 36 years as Jack Abbott, Bergman remains as grateful as ever. “I thought I’d be put out to pasture and just show up for family dinners,” he joked. “But I work as much as I did when I was 40. It’s going to be hard for you to find a more grateful actor out there.”
Fans can stream Bergman’s new project Pluribus now on Apple TV+.
