A Complete Guide to Young & Restless’ Current Cast & Characters
Thursday, July 9th, 2020
Young and Restless characters now residing in Genoa City.
The Young and the Restless cast is always changing and certainly looks a lot different from when the soap opera first debuted on March 26, 1973. Back then, the Fosters and the Brooks were the core families in Genoa City. Interestingly enough, relative newcomer Theo Vanderway (Tyler Johnson) is tied to the Brooks clan as a nod to history. The grandson of Stuart Brooks and Dina Mergeron (Marla Adams) he’s connected to the Abbot family through Dina, and is involved in media, like his late grandfather, who helmed a publishing company.
The Chancellor family also figured in early on, with Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper) becoming a central character in Genoa City for decades until Cooper’s death in 2013. Katherine’s rivalry with Jill Foster Abbott (Jess Walton) was legendary, and her grandson, Devon Hamilton (Bryton James), who inherited the bulk of the Chancellor fortune, tries to use it in ways that will make her proud.
Victor Newman arrived in Genoa City in 1980 and built an empire from the ground up, as he’s fond of saying. The Newmans are now one of the core families along with the Abbott family, whose patriarch, John Abbott, first appeared the same year. Victor and John’s families, their children, and even grandchildren have competed in business and matters of the heart for decades, with Victor and Jack Abbott’s (Peter Bergman) rivalry becoming one of the nastiest in daytime.
The 1990s brought the Winters family to the canvas, headed by Neil Winters, whose family grew over the years after he debuted as a junior executive at Newman Enterprises.
Numerous other longtime characters remain in the cast today, including Nikki Reed, now Newman, (Melody Thomas Scott), Paul Williams (Doug Davidson), Esther Valentine (Kate Linger), Lauren Fenmore (Tracey Bregman), Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland), and more.
Check out the gallery to see gorgeous cast photos of the current players on Young and Restless. Be sure you’re signed up for Soaps.com’s newsletter to get more features and breaking soap opera news delivered to your inbox.
Image: Image: CBS
1/33
<p>Melissa Claire Egan plays Young and Restless’ Chelsea Newman. She came to Genoa City in 2011 as Chelsea Lawson.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
2/33
<p>Peter Bergman plays Genoa City businessman Jack Abbott. Bergman joined the cast as the Jabot bigwig in 1989.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
3/33
<p>Sasha Calle plays Lola Rosales on Young and Restless. Her character joined the canvas in 2018.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
4/33
<p>Tracey Bregman joined Young and Restless in 1983 as Lauren Fenmore, heir to the Fenmore’s line of boutiques. She is now Lauren Fenmore Baldwin and still runs her company.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
5/33
<p>Tyler Johnson joined the Young and Restless cast in 2019 as Theo Vanderway. The newcomer soon learned he was connected to a historical Genoa City family, the Brooks.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
6/33
<p>Sharon Case joined Young and Restless as Sharon Collins and her character married into the wealthy Newman family. Case has been a cast member since 1994.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
7/33
<p>Sean Dominic landed on Young and Restless in 2019. He took on the role of a recast Nate Hastings Jr.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
8/33
<p>Mishael Morgan was first cast on Young and Restless as Hilary Curtis (Ann Turner) in 2013. When her character was killed in a car wreck, she later returned as Amanda Sinclair.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
9/33
<p>Michelle Stafford originated the role of Phyllis Summers on Young and Restless in 1994. She left and did a stint on General Hospital before resuming her role in 2019.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
10/33
<p>Michael Mealor plays Kyle Abbott on Young and Restless. He joined the canvas as a recast in 2018.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
11/33
<p>Melody Thomas Scott first appeared as Nikki Reed on Young and Restless in 1979. Her character is now the iconic Nikki Newman, wife of Genoa City mogul, Victor.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
12/33
<p>Melissa Ordway took over the role of Abby Newman in 2013. The character was formerly known as Abby Carlton and believing Brad Carlton was her father when it was actually Victor Newman.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
13/33
<p>Mark Grossman was cast as bad boy Adam Newman in 2019. His character returned to Genoa City after it was believed he had died in an explosion.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
14/33
<p>Lauralee Bell was just a teen when she began appearing in 1983 on Young and Restless, the show co-created by her parents, Bill and Lee Phillip Bell. Though she was first known as ‘Cricket’ Blair, she now goes by Christine Williams.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
15/33
<p>Kate Linder joined Young and Restless in 1982. She still plays Esther Valentine to this day.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
16/33
<p>Joshua Morrow joined Young and Restless in 1994. He plays Nick Newman, son of the iconic Victor and Nikki Newman.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
17/33
<p>Jordi Vilasuso was cast on Young and Restless in 2018. He plays Rey Rosales, a police officer, and unofficial head of the Rosales family.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
18/33
<p>Jess Walton has played the role of feisty Jill Foster Abbott on Young and Restless since 1987. Her character became known for her relationships with the Abbott men, John and Jack, and for her rivalry with Katherine Chancellor.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
19/33
<p>Jason Thompson left General Hospital in 2016 and moved to Young and Restless. He plays Billy Abbott, son of late Jabot founder John Abbott and Jill Foster Abbott.</p>
Image: Photos: Young and Restless Cast Members
20/33
<p>Hunter King plays Nick Newman and Phyllis Summers’ daughter on Young and Restless. She debuted as Summer Newman in 2012.</p>
Image: Photos: Young and Restless Cast Members
21/33
<p>Greg Rikaart joined Young and Restless as troubled Kevin Fisher in 2003. These days his character is a family man.</p>
Image: Photos: Young and Restless Cast Members
22/33
<p>Eric Braeden first appeared as Genoa City’s Victor Newman in 1980. What was supposed to be a short term role turned into an iconic soap opera character.</p>
Image: Photos: Young and Restless Cast Members
23/33
<p>Elizabeth Hendrickson joined Young and Restless as Chloe Mitchell in 2008. The actress appeared on General Hospital for a time before returning to the role she originated.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
24/33
<p>Doug Davidson has been with the cast of Young and Restless since 1978. His character Paul Williams was a Genoa City teen who became a private detective before eventually being made chief of police.</p>
Image: Photos: Young and Restless Cast Members
25/33
<p>Donny Boaz has been on the Young and Restless canvas since 2019. He plays a recast Phillip ‘Chance’ Chancellor III and his character is involved with Abby Newman.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
26/33
<p>Christian LeBlanc was added to the Young and Restless cast in 1991. He plays attorney Michael Baldwin and is married to Lauren Fenmore Baldwin.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
27/33
<p>Christel Khalil joined the Young and Restless in 2002. She aired as Lily Winters until 2005, left, then returned to the role in 2006.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
28/33
<p>Camryn Grimes first began appearing on Young and Restless in 1997 as young Cassie Johnson, who later became Cassie Newman after being found by her birth mother, Sharon Newman, and adopted by her husband, Nick Newman. Cassie died, and was occasionally seen as a vision, but Grimes returned in 2014 as a Cassie lookalike, who was later determined to be her twin, Mariah Copeland.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
29/33
<p>Cait Fairbanks landed her Young and Restless role in 2017. She plays Tessa Porter, a singer and songwriter, who went from down on her luck to touring nationally.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
30/33
<p>Bryton James debuted on Young and Restless in 2004. He plays Devon Hamilton, a former street kid turned billionaire who was adopted by Neil and Drucilla Winters.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
31/33
<p>Brytni Sarpy joined the Young and Restless cast in 2019. Her character, Elena Dawson, is a medical professional who runs a clinic and lives with Devon Hamilton.</p>
Image: Image: CBS
32/33
