Victoria Newman is a fictional character from The Young and the Restless, an American soap opera on the CBS network. Created by William J. Bell, she is currently portrayed by Amelia Heinle. Victoria was born onscreen in 1982 and was portrayed by child actress Ashley Nicole Millan for her first eight years. Having been rapidly aged to a teenager, Victoria returned to the soap opera and was portrayed by Heather Tom. Tom portrayed the character into her early adult years and remained in the role for thirteen years. Due to creative differences, Tom left the soap opera in 2003 and Heinle, who debuted as Victoria on March 21, 2005, was cast in the role.
Victor and Nikki Newman are fictional characters and a supercouple from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Victor is portrayed by Eric Braeden and Nikki is portrayed by Melody Thomas Scott. Together, they have shared three marriages and two children; Victoria and Nicholas Newman. The couple is often referred to by the portmanteau "Niktor" by fans on internet message boards and in magazines. Nikki was originally from the lower walks of life, having been a prostitute and stripper. After multiple failed relationships, she began a romance with Victor, who taught her about society. Nikki gave birth to Victoria in 1982, and the pair were married in 1984. Ashley Abbott then came between Victor and Nikki, causing them to divorce and each of them remarrying to Ashley and Victor's nemesis, Jack Abbott, respectively. However, the pair continued to be linked to one another, with an affair between the two resulting in second child Nicholas.
Victor Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. He has been portrayed by Eric Braeden since 1980. Initially a guest character who was to last for eight to twelve weeks, Victor has evolved into the soap opera's leading male figure. Created by William J. Bell as a "despicable, contemptible, unfaithful wife abuser", the character was planned to be killed off and never heard of again. However, after Bell saw Braeden's performance, he decided to sign the actor onto a contract. Braeden was hesitant to work on a soap opera, but eventually signed a contract, and has remained on the series as a regular cast member for over 40 years. The character is widely described as a ruthless villain, while loving to those he holds dear. Over the years, he has also been the center of several controversial plots and relationships.
Nikki Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS daytime soap opera, The Young and the Restless. Created and introduced by William J. Bell in 1978, the role was portrayed by Erica Hope, before Melody Thomas Scott took over in 1979. Introduced as a stripper, the character became well known for her relationship with businessman Victor Newman, a union that developed into a supercouple pairing that has spanned over four decades. She shares two children with Victor, Victoria and Nicholas Newman. In 2013, she reveals that she had previously given up a child for adoption, who is later discovered to be Dylan McAvoy. The character has also had several other notorious relationships, including Paul Williams, Jack Abbott, and Brad Carlton. Scott is considered an icon in the soap opera genre.
Jack Abbott is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The character was introduced in 1980 being portrayed by Terry Lester. Lester departed from the series in 1989 and was replaced by Peter Bergman shortly thereafter. Bergman relocated to California after successfully auditioning for the part. His first episode aired on November 27, 1989. Jack is known for his longstanding feud with the Newman family patriarch, Victor Newman as well as his romances with Diane Jenkins, Nikki Newman, Phyllis Summers, and Sharon Newman. Jack has represented the Abbott family as the patriarch since the 2006 passing of his father, John Abbott.
Ashley Abbott is a fictional character from The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful, two American soap operas on the CBS network. She has been most notably portrayed by Eileen Davidson, who originated the role on June 11, 1982, before departing in 1988. Brenda Epperson portrayed Ashley from 1988 to 1995, before Shari Shattuck portrayed the role for the next three years, until Davidson's return on March 19, 1999. Davidson was nominated in 2003 for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and she later won that award in 2018.
Brad Carlton is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by Don Diamont. The character became a mainstay on the series for over 20 years. He was known for his relationships with Traci Abbott, Ashley Abbott and Victoria Newman, as well as his business rivalries with Jack Abbott and Victor Newman. In 2009, the character drowned in a frozen lake.
Abigail Newman Abbott (mostly known as Abby Newman) is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera, The Young and the Restless. The character was introduced on November 13, 2000, as the daughter of Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson) and Victor Newman (Eric Braeden). The role was portrayed by Darcy Rose Byrnes as a child until 2008, when the character was rapidly aged to a teenager, with Hayley Erin assuming the role the following year. In 2010, the character was rapidly aged again to an adult, with Emme Rylan cast as Erin's replacement. Rylan was let go in 2012 due to budgetary cuts, but returned months later in February 2013 on a recurring status following viewer complaints. However, her return was cut short once Rylan vacated the role to join General Hospital as Lulu Spencer. Melissa Ordway was then hired as her recast, who made her debut on April 16, 2013. Rylan compared Abby to her previous role, Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light, saying they were both wealthy heiresses who cause trouble. Upon Abby's return in 2013, Rylan felt that she had become "more mature".
Deacon Sharpe is a fictional character, originally from the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, portrayed by Sean Kanan from October 1, 2000, to February 22, 2005. From June 23, 2009, to January 30, 2012, the character appeared on its sister soap The Young and the Restless.
Diane Jenkins is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. The role was first portrayed by Alex Donnelley, who debuted in April 28, 1982. Diane was initially a two-day bit role, but was developed into a long-term character. Donnelley left the role two years later, returning briefly in 1986 before returning again fully in 1996. In 2001, Donnelley left again in what was supposed to be a storyline-dictated departure, however, the role was later recast with Susan Walters. After three years, Walters chose to drop to recurring status in 2004, but wasn't seen again until a brief guest appearance in February 2010. Seven months later, the role was recast a second time with Maura West, who took over in October; she exited in August of the following year. In March 2022, Walters returned to the role.
Leanna Love is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera, The Young and the Restless. She was portrayed by Barbara Crampton, who departed from the role in 1993. Crampton returned from 1998 to 2002 and again from 2006 to 2007. In March 2023, Crampton returned to the show to celebrate the show’s 50th Anniversary.
Hope Wilson is a fictional character from the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by Signy Coleman. The character was introduced as a love interest for Victor Newman in 1993. After her departure in 1997, Coleman reprised the role in 2000 and 2002. The role was then briefly portrayed by Beth Toussaint in 2006. In 2008, the character died onscreen, though Coleman continued to reprise the role as a vision had by other characters in 2010 and 2012. In 2020, Maggie Gwin briefly played the role of a younger Hope.
The storylines of the soap opera The Young and the Restless have changed over the years since the show debuted in 1973. Originally examining the lives of the wealthy Brooks and the poor Fosters, a series of recasts and departures in the early 1980s turned the focus of The Young and the Restless to the Abbotts and the Newmans, including the corporate rivalry between their two respective companies. However, one basic plot that has run throughout almost all of the program's history is the rivalry between Jill Foster Abbott and Katherine Chancellor, similar to the show's sister show, The Bold and the Beautiful, regarding Brooke Logan and Stephanie Forrester.
Brittany Hodges is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Brittany was introduced on December 1, 1999, by former executive producer Edward J. Scott. The role was originated by Vanessa Lee Evigan who departed on February 25, 2000, and was replaced by Lauren Woodland, who debuted on March 7. Brittany's storylines included relationships with Raul Guittierez and J.T. Hellstrom, as well as marriage to Bobby Marsino and giving birth to their child, Joshua. Woodland said that the romance with Raul changed the character who was previously manipulative and sexual.
The Newman family is one of the core families on the American soap opera, The Young and the Restless, which is set in the fictional town of Genoa City, Wisconsin. They were introduced in February 1980, when Victor Newman arrived in town. Eventually, Victor was paired with Nicole Reed, who has notably become the family's prominent matriarch, having been married to Victor four times. The family is currently represented by Victor, Nikki and his four living children: Victoria, Nicholas, Abby and Adam Newman. The family is also well known for its long-standing feud with the Abbott family. The Newmans run the multinational conglomerate Newman Enterprises. They have lived at their ranch for three decades.
