HOLLYWOOD—This week’s Leading Men Gold Standard goes to Eric Braeden, who portrays billionaire Victor Newman on CBS’s “The Young and the Restless”; Don Diamont, who portrays media mogul Bill Spencer on CBS’s “The Bold and the Beautiful”; and his costar Scott Clifton, who portrays Liam Cooper Spencer on the soap. Braeden and Diamont brought brilliance and diversity to their roles, while Clifton made choices that broke the viewers’ hearts, but entertained us just the same.
Emmy award® winning actor Eric Braeden makes the character of Victor Newman the most exciting man in Genoa City. Braeden’s tremendous performance this week left nothing to chance. Initially Victor made a decision that would break his son’s heart but would also save him years of pain. When Victor found out recently that his ex-wife Diane was sleeping with his son Nicholas, the mogul decided to seduce Diane and split her up from Nick. That’s what he did on the Valentine’s day episode. Nick was left devastated, but now he knows Diane is not the woman for him. Later Victor chastised and humiliated another ex-wife, Nikki, who is sleeping with a conman. Later he found out that his former housekeeper was out of jail and back in town. How Braeden was able to play each scene differently and perfectly is beyond me. However, he’s got what it takes and he knows how to use it.
Don Diamont is the man who has mastered great acting. One of the most handsome men in television and talented as well, Diamont played “Dollar Bill” Spencer with might. Bill was furious that his son is being taken advantage of by trailer park con artist Amber Moore, and soon he was on her doorstep offering her a compromise. When Amber declined Bill gave her a stern warning that was much more than any threat we’d heard from the powerful billionaire previously. “You don’t know who you are screwing with,” were words we know will come back to haunt Amber. Don Diamont’s performance was challenging for most actors, but not for the great man himself.
Scott Clifton played the heartbroken Liam, who is fed up with being used by Amber. He knows in his heart that he did not sleep with her, and that he could not be her baby’s daddy. When Liam was with Hope this week, and he begged her to give them a second chance, we wanted to cry along with the characters in the scenes. I actually did. However, by the end of the week Bradley Bell had crafted a tragic accident that left Liam clinging to life and his father Bill prepared to commit murder to avenge his son’s accident.
“Y&R” and “B&B” featured characters who made disastrous choices that led to turmoil, but their portrayers made perfect choices as actors. Both shows air weekdays on CBS.
Photographs Courtesy: Eric Braeden “The Man Who Came Back” by Lionsgate Films, Don Diamont and Scott Clifton by Gilles Toucas, Bell Phillip TV Productions.
