FATHER Knows BEST

Y&R Superstar Eric Braeden Weighs In On The State Of The Newmans, Victor’s War With Ashland And Why He Has No Plans To Exit The Show.

- Mara Levinsky

Soap Opera Digest: Well, Eric, it’s been very exciting to see Victor take control of this whole Ashland situation, because I think the fans have been eager to see him in full patriarch mode, if you will — defending the company, defending Victoria.

Eric Braeden: It was about high time! High time. I think it’s one of the best storylines that I’ve had in years. Digest: Tell me why you think it’s so successful.

Braeden: Because it’s all very real, meaning, one understands that Victoria would fall for a good-looking guy like that with a lot of money; one would understand how she, being Victor Newman’s daughter, would have certain Machiavellian tendencies, meaning she sees the possibility of a merger between Locke’s company and Newman. She sees all that and at the same time, he’s a good-looking guy with a lot of money and she fell for him. But the real Machiavellian, of course, is Victor [laughs]! Victor, on one hand, has very paternal, fatherly feelings, wants his daughter to be happy, is happy that she’s out of Billy Boy’s clutches, yet he, too, is beginning to smell a certain rat. He doesn’t quite trust him and is very aware of it and of course, his fatherly instincts of wanting to protect his daughter are stronger than almost anything. And to protect his business. So, he’s not stupid! Victor is a chess player. He’s about two, three, four moves ahead of everyone else. So it all makes sense, psychological sense. Sound sense. That’s why I think it’s such a brilliant storyline because it’s one where you can do long-term planning.