Photo: CBS
Eric Braeden, who debuted as Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless 43 years ago, is one of the many talented people who graced the soap world.
Victor landed in Genoa City, Wisconsin, on February 8, 1980, for business purposes, which eventually led to the creation of his own global corporation, “Newman Enterprises.” He was only meant to appear on the program for eight to twelve weeks at first. But, because viewers connected with the character and the narrative so strongly, the show decided to offer Braeden a contract.
He is now regarded as an iconic leading male in the soap opera genre. As a result, critics have praised Braeden for his unique portrayal of Victor, calling him legendary and “enthralling.” Victor is infamously referred to as the mustache man and is known for his power-hungry tendencies and deep voice.
He lived in Genoa City during the entirety of his first marriage to Julia Newman (ex-Meg Bennett). Following that union, he started dating former stripper Nikki Reed (Melody Thomas Scott). Their relationship, known as “Niktor,” became one of soap opera’s greatest super couples and lasted for more than three decades. They have two children together, Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Nicholas Newman (Joshua Morrow), and they continue to be one of the most well-liked couples on daytime television today.
He cheated on Nikki during his first marriage with Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson). He also has a long-standing relationship with Ashley, with whom he has a child, Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway). In addition, Victor had a brief relationship with Hope Wilson (ex-Signy Coleman), with whom he has a son named Adam Newman (Mark Grossman), who was raised without knowing that Victor was his father. Additionally, he is well-known for his long-running business rivalry with Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman), which is still clearly visible in the current episodes. Victor has also been romantically involved with a number of other people, including his former daughter-in-law, Sharon Collins (Sharon Case).
As an actor, Eric Braeden garnered numerous nominations, and in 1988, for his portrayal of Victor Newman, he was given the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. View some vintage photos and a video of Victor through the years below.
Happy 43rd anniversary, Eric!
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