Victor Newman
| Victor Newman | |||||||||||||||||
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| The Young and the Restless character | |||||||||||||||||
| File:EricBraeden.jpg Eric Braeden as Victor Newman (2007) | |||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Eric Braeden | ||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | February 4 1980 | ||||||||||||||||
| Created by | William J. Bell | ||||||||||||||||
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Victor Newman (born Christian Miller) is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, played by veteran actor Eric Braeden since February 4, 1980. The character briefly appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful in 1999. He was only originally intended to be short-term character as part of a six-month storyline, but developed into a regular character.[1]
Victor's Romances
A wealthy and prominent business tycoon, Victor is arguably the most powerful man in Genoa City. Born as Christian Miller, he was raised as an orphan, which left him with a strong determination to be completely independent. He used this to build a corporate empire (Newman Enterprises), which gives him an estimated net-worth of somewhere between $10 to $50 billion. Unfortunately, his independence and determination frequently cause problems in his personal life.
Perhaps the greatest love of Victor's life, and the woman who he has gone back to most often, is Nikki. When they met she was a dancer at The Bayou, and before long she was known as his "Diamond in the Rough." Despite their great love, Victor's domineering ways have often caused strife in their relationship, and resulted in their having three divorces. Not one to be alone for long, Victor has been married numerous other times. Prior to Nikki he was married to Julia, who was driven away by his uncontrollable rage and jealousy. Since Nikki he has been married to Ashley Abbott, Leanna Love, Hope Adams, Diane Jenkins and his most recent wife Sabrina Costelana died on the show on August 1, 2008.
Victor has also had romantic dalliances with women like Lorie Brooks, Eve Howard, Jill Abbott, Cassandra Rawlins and Ramona Caceres.
Victor's Offspring
Victor Newman has four children and five grandchildren:
- Victoria Nicole Newman (Amelia Heinle) is his oldest child with Nicole "Nikki" Reed. Victoria has been divorced 3 times from Ryan McNeil, Cole Howard, and Brad Carlton and is currently married to her 4th husband J.T. Hellstrom. She has been pregnant 3 times, a stillborn daughter Eve Nicole Howard, a miscarried child in 2006, and a son born in 2007 Reed Hellstrom. Victoria doesn't always agree with her father, and their relationship has been especially strained since the return of Victor's youngest son, and her father's persual of a relationship with her former best friend, Sabrina Costelana. These problems contributed to Victoria leaving Newman Enterprises in favor of Jabot Cosmetics, where her mother is now the CEO.
- Nicholas Christian Newman (Joshua Morrow) is his second child and oldest son with Nikki. Nick has been divorced once from Sharon Newman and is currently married to Phyllis Summers. He also has three children: adopted daughter Cassidy "Cassie" Newman (Camryn Grimes) (with Sharon), now deceased; a son, Noah Newman (Hunter Allan) (with Sharon) and Summer Newman (with Phyllis). Nicholas shares, perhaps, the most contentious relationship between the Newman children and their father. After being fired from Newman Enterprises by Victor, Nicholas started a magazine alongside his current wife, Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford); ex-wife, Sharon Abbott (Sharon Case); and Victor's nemesis, Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman).
- Victor Adam Newman Jr. (Chris Engen) is the second son of Victor Newman. He is the only child of Victor and his ex-wife Hope Adams. Hope kept Victor out of their son's life for many years, and it wasn't until she lay dying that the truth was finally revealed to the young man. Hope's dying wish was for father and son to form a bond, and it was because of that that Victor, Jr. reluctantly agreed to join the staff at Newman Enterprises. He assumed the name Adam Wilson, after his stepfather Cliff Wilson, to avoid any sense of nepotism. Adam seems to be driven by work and possess a somewhat aloof personality akin to his father.
- Abigail "Abby" Carlton (Darcy Rose Byrnes) is the youngest child and second daughter of Victor Newman. Unknown to Victor, she was conceived through artificial insemination when Ashley Abbott got her hands on a sperm sample Victor had frozen prior to a vasectomy. Soon after Abby's birth she was adopted by Ashley's then husband Brad Carlton. The truth has since come out, but Abby still looks at both Victor and Brad as father figures. Currently, she spends most of her time in Los Angeles, where her mother works for Forrester Creations. Victor accepts Abby as his pride and joy just like the rest of his children.
- Victor also had 2 miscarried children, one with his 1st wife Julia Newman, which would've been the eldest of all Victor's children. He also recently has a miscarried child with his most recent wife, the proclaimed love of his life Sabrina Newman. This child would've been the youngest.
Arrival in Genoa City
Victor originally came to Genoa City in 1979 to help Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper) run Chancellor Industries. He brought his wife Julia (Meg Bennett) with him, and kept her a recluse in their ranch house while he worked. Longing for work of her own, Julia took a modeling job with photographer Michael Scott, who was attracted to her. Victor became instantly jealous, and when Julia turned up pregnant, he was convinced that the baby was Michael's.
In retaliation, Victor imprisoned Michael in the bomb shelter at the Newman Ranch. It was this story that turned Victor into a villain, a character type he has largely stayed true to over the course of two decades. Julia found Michael and freed him from the bomb shelter. While attempting to flee the Newman Ranch, Victor happened upon the pair and a fist fight between Michael, and Victor ensued. Julia got caught up in the crossfire, and suffered a terrible fall, and had a miscarriage. Blood tests later proved that Victor was in fact the father. Julia and Michael left town.
Nikki Reed and Victor Newman
During her relationship with Kevin Bancroft (Christopher Holder), dancer Nikki Reed had a fling with Victor Newman. When Nikki became pregnant, there was some doubt to the paternity of the child. It was ultimately learned that Victor was the father. The relationship with Kevin ended and she took up with Rick Daros (Randy Holland) during her pregnancy. Nikki eventually gave birth to Victor's child, a daughter named Victoria. Despite putting himself at risk to run an ill baby Victoria to hospital during a blizzard, Rick was ultimately revealed as a cruel villain and his relationship with Nikki ended.
Victor and Nikki were first married in 1984. The marriage ended in 1988 and Victor and Nikki both moved on with other people - Nikki with Jack Abbott (played at the time by Terry Lester) and Victor with Jack's half-sister, Ashley (Eileen Davidson). Ashley became pregnant with Victor's child and soon had an abortion, a move she lived to regret and a later stay at a mental hospital as well. Grief over the loss of the child tore Victor and Ashley apart, and Nikki and Jack divorced soon after but only after Nikki had suffered a miscarriage with Jack's child that was due to Victor's interference that caused Nikki to fall.
Diane Newman vs. Nikki Landers
Victor's feelings for Nikki began to resurface, but Nikki, oblivious to this, married Dr. Joshua Landers (Heath Kizzier). Victor rebounded into the arms of Diane Jenkins (then played by Alex Donnelley) and they married shortly after. Tragedy struck when Joshua was shot dead by his jealous ex-wife, Veronica (Candice Daly), who had disguised herself and had been posing as Nikki and Joshua's maid, Sarah Lindsey. Hours later, Veronica shot and severely wounded Nikki, prompting Victor to divorce Diane and remarry Nikki on her death bed. Victor promised Diane that he would remarry her after Nikki died. When Nikki miraculously recovered, her family was ecstatic, but Diane was (rightly) concerned about where she stood with Victor. Victor soon broke it off with Diane.
After learning that, due to Nikki surviving, their marriage was invalid, Victor and Nikki remarried in a lavish ceremony in 2002. After the death of their granddaughter, Cassie (Camryn Grimes), in 2005, Victor and Nikki became determined to stay strong for their family and this made their relationship stronger than ever.
Epilepsy
Victor was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy due to head trauma he received while rescuing Nikki from a car-jacking attempt. Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) learned of this, and took advantage of Victor for quite some time. In the process, however, a strange friendship formed between them...one which Victor continued to play upon once he had the condition under control. Ultimately, he felt betrayed by Jack once again, although this time it may have felt more personal than ever. Victor finally revealed the truth to Jack when he informed him that he knew the truth: Jack Abbott, not Ji Min Kim (Eric Steinberg), was the real owner of Jabot Cosmetics once more.
Victor and Nikki: Divorce #3
In 2007, after Nick's presumed death in a plane crash, Victor left Genoa City to search for Victor Jr. It infuriated Nikki that he'd stay in contact with Hope but not her during such a difficult time. When Victor returned, he was furious to learn of his wife's affair with her campaign manager, David Chow (Vincent Irizarry), and punched him. Nikki, fed up with Victor's antics, announced that she was leaving him, beginning the divorce proceedings.
Around that same time, the district attorney found enough evidence to arrest Victor Newman for Ji Min Kim's death. After that he got on bail and now thinks Jack planted evidence to frame him. On January 21, 2008, Victor's third--and most arduous--divorce from Nikki settled. Soon thereafter, he watched his daughter Victoria marry J.T. Hellstrom (Thad Luckinbill) at the Newman Ranch, but he left to be by Hope's bedside as she suffered her final moments with pancreatic cancer.
Victor, Jr.
Back in Kansas, he saw his third child for the first time since boyhood. As she lay on her deathbed, Hope revealed to Victor, Jr. that his real father was none other than Victor Newman. Hope eventually succumbed to the pancreatic cancer that was eating away at her, and it was Victor's strong wish that his son would join him at Newman Enterprises. Eventually, Victor, Jr. did just that; however, he assumed the name Adam Wilson. With Victor at odds with the rest of his family, Adam seems to be filling the void as both son and right-hand-man.
Sabrina Newman
In 2008 Victor became intrigued by Sabrina Costelana, a friend of Victoria's from Florence, Italy. She awakened in him an enjoyment of modern art, inspiring Victor to open Genoa City's first modern art gallery. His daughter's world was rocked when she learned about her father and her best friend were seeing each other. Their close relationship soon evolved into love, and Victor proposed marriage. Sabrina happily accepted and the happy couple announced the news to Victoria, Nick and Adam.
Victor and Sabrina's engagement has provoked quite a stir: Victoria has turned on Sabrina even more, and feels that she's nothing more than a gold-digger; recently, when Sabrina asked Victoria to be her Matron of Honor, Victoria refused. Nicholas has sided with his sister, prompting Victor to ask Adam to serve as his Best Man instead. And, as always, Nikki is watching the blossoming relationship closely. She sees the same pattern that always surrounds Victor's new relationships, and doesn't think it will last.
Meanwhile, Victor shifted Victoria's position within Newman Enterprises, which only made her more bitter about Adam's presence, enough so that she decided to leave her father's company. Adam then moved into Victoria's office at Newman, and accepted Victor's offer to come live at the Ranch. Victor has created further tension in the family by giving Adam full reign over the company's cosmetics line. As of May 25th 2008 Victor Newman became a private endorser to the Presidential campaign of Barack Obama, donating over 10 million in the name of Newman Enterprises. On June 13, 2008, Sabrina informed Victor that she was pregnant. On June 20, 2008 Victor and Sabrina married in a small, intimate ceremony at the Newman Ranch. On August 1st, 2008 Sabrina Newman died from multiple organ failure, the result of a car crash that also killed David Chow. Her funeral was held privately by Victor on the morning of August 6th. He canceled the public funeral ceremony at the last minute and the minister informed the rest of Genoa City about his private funeral ceremony in the morning. Victor has left Genoa City and is apparently drinking heavily to forget about the tragic and hectic situations that have recently occurred there. Paul Williams and J.T. Hellstrom were trying to locate his untold whereabouts, leading them to a small village in Mexico, Nikki and Paul were able to track down Victor.
Presumed Death
On August 22, 2008, after Victor went out on a boat during a severe thunderstorm, a Mexican police official delivered the news that a piece of Victor's boat had washed up on shore. On August 28th Nicki was on the beach by the water calling Victor's name, calling his name, she fell onto the stones near the water, Nikki looks at 2 legs walking towards her, she looks up, and it is Victor
Newman Will
- Victoria Nicole Newman - Disinherited by Victor July 18, 2008 for contributing to the slandering of his wife Sabrina in Restless Style article
- Nicholas Newman - Disinherited by Victor July 18, 2008 for slandering his new wife Sabrina in an article of Restless Style.
- Victor Adam Newman- provided for, left large share of Newman Ranch and supposedly left control of Newman Enterprises
- Abigail Rachel Carlton- provided for
- Noah Newman- provided for
- Summer Newman- provided for
- Reed Hellstrom- provided for
References
- ^ "The Young and the Restless". E! True Hollywood Story. 2001-05-20. E!.