The Young and the Restless Star Eric Braeden Looks Back On 41 Years As Victor Newman

A year ago, Eric Braeden celebrated four decades as Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless. Friends and co-stars honored the Daytime Emmy winner at an on-set gala. It was the last major gathering before the coronavirus pandemic put a pin in such events.

Happy Anniversary, Eric Braeden

Now, the actor is celebrating his 41st year on YR! The show’s official Twitter account paid tribute to the star with a few tweets including one that showed one of his first scenes with Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), the love of Victor’s life. (Scott celebrates her 42nd anniversary with YR later this month on February 20.)

In the scene shown in the tweet below, the mustached mogul goes by the name “Mr. Victor,” manservant to Col. Douglas Austin (Michael Evans). The two men were in cahoots to pull one over on Nikki.

Braden shared that he received a gift from one of his most well-known ex-co-stars. “My ‘former’ son, JUSTIN HARTLEY (ex-ADAM) sent this magnificent TEQUILA for my 41st year on Y&R!” Braeden shared. “His label is REVEL! GREAT STUFF! 🥃 revel spirits @justinhartley.”

Braeden joined YR in 1980. Originally set for a limited run, executive producer/head writer/creator William J. Bell was quickly taken by Braeden’s commanding performance as Victor. Bell heard Braeden, in character, bellowing “Julia! Julia!” to his then-wife Julia (Meg Bennett) and was intrigued by the performer’s powerful presence.

Braeden has said he agreed to stay on after Bell revealed Victor’s backstory; born Christian Miller, Victor was left at an orphanage after his mother Cora Miller (Dorothy McGuire) was forced to abandon him because she couldn’t afford to raise both Victor and his younger brother Matt (Robert Parucha). Young Christian survived the orphanage and became a self-made man, taking on the moniker Victor Newman as he felt he was literally a “new man.”

The YR legend has said that his scenes with both McGuire and George Kennedy, who played his father Albert Miller, are among his favorite ones. Soap Hub congratulates Braeden on 41 years as YR’s Victor. The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS Check local listings for airtimes.