Popular Young And The Restless Actors Ranked

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The land of Genoa City would be nothing without its leading men. They romance their women, finagle corporate dealings with ease, sometimes cause trouble, and there are those always looking for truth and justice. Many Young and the Restless (Y&R) fans have their favorites when it comes to the actors that play these interesting characters, and some are more loved than others. Here’s a definitive ranking of the most popular Young and the Restless actors!

12. Jordi Vilasuso

Jordi hasn’t been with the Y&R for very long, but has made a tremendous impact playing Rey Rosales, the good-looking, street smart cop with a kind heart. Vilasuso is a soap opera veteran, playing on other shows like All My Children, Days of Our Lives, as well as Guiding Light, and even won a Daytime Emmy in 2003.
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11. Jason Thompson

Newer to the Y&R scene than some, but no stranger to daytime drama, Jason Thompson is near the bottom of the bottom on this list. General Hospital (GH) fans may recognize Jason from his time playing Dr. Patrick Drake from 2005 to 2015, and Thompson joined the cast of Y&R in early 2016 when he began causing chaos on the show as the newest Billy Abbott recast. During his tenure on GH, Thompson racked up five Daytime Emmy nods.
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10. Billy Miller

Interestingly enough, the Billy Abbott many fans still relay the character to is actor Billy Miller, who was in the role from 2008 to 2014. Miller would win two Daytime Emmys during his tenure as Abbott, and while he’s currently on General Hospital, there are a ton of Y&R viewers who wish he would return to Genoa City!
© Jill Johnson/jpistudios.com

9. Steve Burton

Speaking of GH, Burton is well-known for his Jason Morgan character on the show, and when he left Port Charles in 2012, many fans were outraged. GH’s loss was Y&R’s gain and Burton popped up in Genoa City in 2013 wowing fans on an entirely different soap opera playing the handsome but troubled Dylan McAvoy. While Steve would eventually exit the Y&R in early 2017, he was able to snag a Daytime Emmy nod for his McAvoy role in the category of Supporting Actor on his way out.
© Jill Johnson/jpistudios.com

8. Daniel Goddard

This handsome Australian-born actor has been thrilling Y&R audiences since 2007. His character Cane Ashby has a fishy past and been a bit of a liar over the years, but one thing has remained the same during most of his time in Genoa City: his love for Lily Winters. The two have split, but how long will that last? Not surprisingly, Goddard started his career off as a model, working for Dolce & Gabbana and Calvin Klein.
© Jill Johnson/jpistudios.com

7. Greg Rikaart

Who doesn’t love Kevin Fisher? Even during his craziest of times, he’s had an incredible heart like no other leading man in Genoa City today. Rikaart joined the Y&R cast in 2003 and evolved his Fisher character incredibly over the years. He’s also got tremendous acting talent and it shows with his five Daytime Emmy nominations and a win in the Supporting Actor category in 2005.
© Jill Johnson/jpistudios.com

6. Kristoff St. John

The soap opera world continues to mourn the loss of Kristoff St. John. The actor was well-loved not only for his work on Y&R, but in other shows as well. He was only a child when cast as Alex Haley in ABC’s Roots: The Next Generation, but also had appearances on Happy DaysWonder Woman, and The Champ during his younger years. Entering the Y&R in 1993 as Neil Winters, he won over many fans over with his portrayal of the strong, smart, and honest (for the most part) character. He’s also racked up the accolades in the soap world over the years, winning two Daytime Emmys and eight nominations.
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5. Joshua Morrow

It can’t be easy playing the infamous Victor Newman’s son, but Joshua does it with style and ease. While he’s only in his 40s, Morrow has been with the show for over two decades. As such, the fans have watched the Nikolas Newman character evolve from a spoiled teenager into an upstanding man and father. Morrow has accumulated five Daytime Emmy nods over the years, and is long overdue to take that little statue home one day!
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

4. Doug Davidson

Doug is currently the Y&R’s longest-acting cast member on the show, entering Genoa City in 1978. Playing Police Chief Paul Williams, he’s romanced many of the town’s leading ladies, including Lauren Fenmore, Nikki Newman, Nina Webster and his current main squeeze, Christine Blair. He’s honest, charming, funny, handsome, and is always looking for justice to be served. Doug is also a legendary soap opera actor, with five Daytime Emmy nods and one big win in 2013 under his belt!
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

3. Christian LeBlanc

When Michael Baldwin strolled into town in 1991, he wasn’t the nicest of characters. In fact, he was a schemer, abuser, manipulator and all-around terrible guy. The Michael Baldwin character is brilliant, handsome, and the ultimate romance guru. While he was once someone no one in Genoa City trusted, he is now one of the most upstanding citizens on the entire show. All this is thanks to the incredible acting talents of Christian LeBlanc, the actor who brings Baldwin to life daily. Over the years, LeBlanc has been acknowledged by peers for his tremendous performances on the Y&R, racking up three Daytime Emmys and a total of 12 nominations.
©John Paschal/JPI

2. Eric Braeden

Victor Newman would not be impressed with being number two, but it’s nothing to snuff at, especially when you look at his competitors on this list. Eric Braeden strolled into Genoa City in 1980 and the landscape of the Y&R was changed forever. Victor was initially an evil and controlling character, but over the years, fans have seen a softer side to Newman. This may be thanks to his grandchildren, but hugely due to the fact that Eric wanted fans to see a different side to the once one-dimensional character. With eight Daytime Emmy nods and one win, Victor and Eric have truly made a huge impact on the soap opera world.
© Jill Johnson/jpistudios.com

1. Peter Bergman

Peter Bergman has played the dynamic Jack Abbott for close to three decades. Bergman hits number one thanks to his longevity and talent. Victor probably wouldn’t approve of Jack Abbott getting the top spot, but something tells us Eric would be okay with it. Bergman is a veteran of soaps and has a tremendous amount of accolades to back this talent up. He’s gathered an incredible 21 Daytime Emmy nominations over the years and has taken home the award for Lead Actor three times.
©Aaron Montgomery/JPI

Dorathy Gass

Dorathy Gass

Dorathy Gass is an avid fan of daytime drama and has been watching Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, and Young and the Restless for over two decades now. As a full-time freelance writer, she gets to combine her love of soap operas and writing through her Fame 10 articles. Also a mother of two busy girls and a mommy blogger, she's been published multiple times over in Huffington Post Parents and Scary Mommy.

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