Victor Newman, portrayed by Eric Braeden, is perhaps the most iconic character on ‘The Young and the Restless,’ having been on the show for four decades.
This character, loved and loathed in equal measures by fans, including celebrities and athletes, is central to the soap opera’s enduring popularity.
In the 1960s, Braeden, having enjoyed a steady career in television and film, was considering turning down the role of Victor.
According to his memoir, ‘I’ll Be Damned: How My Young and Restless Life Led Me to America’s #1 Daytime Drama,’ he was advised by a fellow actor, Dabney Coleman, to give daytime TV a shot.
An opportunity to audition for Y&R presented itself through his agent.
After taping the audition, he was offered the role of Victor Newman on a three-month contract, thus introducing audiences to Victor for the first time.
Braeden describes Victor’s initial storyline in his book, which involved mistreating his wife, having extramarital affairs, and keeping a man locked in a dungeon fed on rats.
Despite this, the character won over fans, and Braeden was offered a one-year contract.
Braeden initially struggled with the character, but his wife Dale convinced him to make the role his own.
Despite her advice, he considered leaving after one year, expressing frustration with the lack of depth in Victor’s character and finding him dehumanized and amoral.
He took his concerns to the show’s co-creator, William Bell, after experiencing a difficult working relationship with one of the show’s executive producers.
Bell was receptive to Braeden’s concerns and agreed to work with him to develop the character further.
The backstory Bell developed for Victor, portraying him as an orphan who rose to power, brought new dimensions to the character and rejuvenated Braeden’s interest.
This narrative shift allowed Braeden to escape the typecasting of villainous roles, leading him to immortalize Victor Newman as a complex and multifaceted character.