The Young and the Restless’ Alum Shemar Moore Happily Shares That He’s Now ‘COVID-Free’ — With a Photo That Reveals That His Abs Remain Picture-Perfect
Tuesday, January 12th, 2021
The Emmy winner broke the best of all possible good news on January 11.
Accompanied by a picture in which a cross is draped between his legendary pecs all the way down to his six-pack, Shemar Moore shared the kind of news we’re going to want a whole lot more of in 2021: “COVID-free!” he declared. “Now it’s time to go back to work.
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“Blood, sweat ’n’ tears,” he continued. “My entire dream is calling… Hello.”
Regular Soaps.com readers will of course know that on Christmas Eve, the Young & Restless alum, who played Malcolm, revealed that he had tested positive. A day later, he described his symptoms thusly: “It feels like the flu — body aches, chills, sweats.
“It’s no joke. It’s not a game,” he added. “Wear your mask. Stay safe.”
As the clock ran out on 2020, the star of primetime’s S.W.A.T. expressed his delight that the year from hell was heading for the exit. “Thank you, Jesus!” he exclaimed on Instagram, adding that “’19 was rough, ’20 was dog [bleep].”
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He understood that “’21 ain’t gonna be easy out the gate. Don’t get it twisted. But you know what? We gonna fight. We gonna fight for that fun.”
From there, he acknowledged the health crisis that has turned the world upside-down and encouraged his followers to be responsible and considerate. “Wear your mask,” he beseeched them. “Get that vaccine. Do whatever you gotta do to protect yourself and your family.
“But,” he added, “believe in good.”
We’re doing our best, Shemar. As such, we deserve a reward, don’t you think — like a mental-health break to scroll through the below photo gallery of some of soaps’ most handsome leading men.
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Image: Howard Wise/JPI (2)
1/59
<p>Whether the <em>Young & Restless</em> star is sporting angel’s wings or devil’s horns as Adam, he never fails to leave us in dire need of making confession. “Forgive us, Father, for we have dreamt!”</p>
Image: NBC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
2/59
<p>Whether he’s been playing <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Roman, the Pawn, a priest or just good ol’ John, he’s always been able to catch our eye with no more than the arch of a brow.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
3/59
<p>Sure, he may look coy here — “Who, <em>me</em>? Sexy?” — but let’s be real, <em>Guiding Light</em>’s Jonathan knew he was hot stuff if he thought he could get away with that shirt. Which he did, BTW.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
4/59
<p>If we loved him with a mullet as <em>One Life to Live</em>’s Patrick, of course we were also gonna love him as <em>Port Charles</em>’ Ian, <em>All My Children</em>’s Zach and <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em>’s Ridge.</p>
Image: Paul Skipper/JPI
5/59
<p>C’mon, look at that picture — when <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Brady invites you to a slumber party, you RSVP yes. Eagerly.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
6/59
<p>Part of the reason we love the actor who plays <em>The Young and the Restless</em>’ Nick is the cheekbones that are as chiseled as his abs. But on top of that… there’s his irresistible sense of humor.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
7/59
<p>This was him before <em>This Is Us</em>, but a tasty slice of eye candy stirring precisely the emotions that gave <em>Passions</em> its title as the aptly-named Fox.</p>
Image: Paul Skipper/JPI
8/59
<p>We hope he won’t hold it against us that, even all these years later, the hero for whom we’re holding out remains <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Bo. Cool? Cool.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
9/59
<p>Though it’s been decades since <em>The Young and the Restless</em>’ Lauren entered hubby Paul in a centerfold contest — which he won, natch — he’s still a “staple” of fans’ fantasies.</p>
Image: CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
10/59
<p>Surprisingly, this shot of <em>As the World Turns</em>’ Holden is not the cover of the novel <em>Catcher in the Rye</em>. Still nice, though, eh?</p>
Image: George De Sota/JPI
11/59
<p>Honestly, we don’t recall what put <em>One Life to Live</em>’s Ford in the hospital. But an even bigger mystery is how on earth he isn’t <em>surrounded</em> by nurses offering to kiss it and make it better.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
12/59
<p>Here, <em>The Young and the Restless</em>’ Devon offers up an expression that says, “Yes, by all means, appreciate my sexiness, then move along. You don’t want a line forming.” Agreed, sir.</p>
Image: Dramatic Creations/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
13/59
<p>Whether he was playing <em>All My Children</em>’s Jesse, <em>The City</em>’s Jacob or <em>The Young and the Restless</em>’ Sarge, one thing the Emmy winner always was… was easy on the eyes.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
14/59
<p>This may actually have been the only way his characters — Nikolas on <em>General Hospital</em> and Stefan on <em>Days of Our Lives</em> — could prove they had nothing up their sleeves: by eschewing sleeves altogether!</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
15/59
<p>We still can’t fathom why Stitch isn’t on <em>The Young and the Restless</em> — he was a heat-seeking missile who wasn’t related to <em>anybody</em>. In other words, #priceless.</p>
Image: CBS
16/59
<p>When we heard that <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> was recasting Zende, we were like, “Good luck finding an actor as stunning as Rome Flynn.” Turned out they didn’t need luck at all. #nailedit</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
17/59
<p>We only <em>thought</em> we understood the meaning of the word caliente before this <em>One Life to Live</em> heartthrob took over the role of Cristian.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
18/59
<p>Fun fact: When you’re as attractive as the Emmy winner who plays Jason on<em> General Hospital</em>, sometimes you need a lil’ lie-down. #themoreyouknow</p>
Image: CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
19/59
<p>He looks like he’s thinking hard here. But we didn’t have to think at all to include <em>Guiding Light</em>’s Josh in this photo gallery.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
20/59
<p>Long before he was saving the world with paper clips on <em>MacGyver</em>, he was giving <em>General Hospital</em> fans palpitations as Jeff.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
21/59
<p>Now and forever, this is how we’ll remember <em>The Young and the Restless</em>’ Neil: as being so handsome, he could only have been heaven-sent.</p>
Image: Barry King/JPI
22/59
<p>Why the actor who played Brandon on <em>Days of Our Lives</em> is on this list, we can’t imagine. Nope. No idea. Oh, wait — there <em>is</em> that photo…</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
23/59
<p>Even after he stopped playing Patrick on <em>General Hospital</em> and started playing Billy on <em>The Young and the Restless</em>, blushing faces and rapid heartbeats were common reactions to his performances.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
24/59
<p>No matter how villainous his characters — lookin’ at you, Todd on <em>One Life to Live</em> and early Franco on <em>General Hospital</em> — the Emmy winner makes us, however recuctantly, love them.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
25/59
<p>We wish him well on his new life. And we hope he doesn’t mind how tightly we cling to our memories of his stint as<em> Days of Our Lives</em>’ EJ.</p>
Image: Courtesy of the Everett Collection
26/59
<p>As if. “Baby, come back” had to be something he never had to say when he was fixing a woman with this gaze that he patented as Ridge on <em>The Bold and the Beautiful.</em></p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
27/59
<p>We know him now as<em> The Young and the Restless</em>’ Smilin’ Jack. But he was lighting up rooms — and TV screens — even before that, as <em>All My Children</em>’s Dr. Feel-Good, Cliff.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
28/59
<p>What restraint. The Emmy winner had to know he’d make the first-round draft picks even without altogether unleashing the dimples that have made him catnip to fans of <em>General Hospital</em> mobster Sonny.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
29/59
<p>How many times do we have to tell<em> The Young and the Restless</em>’ Kyle that if his clothes are constraining him — in any way! — it’s fine by us if he just… loses them.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
30/59
<p>If ever there was a look that took us back to the intensity of the romance between<em> As the World Turns</em>’ Luke and Noah, it was this one. Although hey, we’re open to other suggestions…</p>
Image: Gary Null/NBC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
31/59
<p>Had <em>Days of Our Lives</em> realized when it cast this future soap-hopper as Tanner that he’d only become more striking with age, the <em>General Hospital</em> star (as Finn) would still be a Salem resident today.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
32/59
<p>Given that laser focus, we can only assume that what <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> Emmy winner was looking at as Rick was… a mirror?</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
33/59
<p>With cheekbones that could cut glass and a gaze that could shatter diamonds, Ted King — whom we first met as Danny on <em>Loving</em> — was always destined to make the camera love him. As well as anyone who got a gander at him <em>on</em> camera.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
34/59
<p><em>All My Children</em> fans are keenly aware that one doesn’t get a nickname like Tad the Cad if he’s a Quasimodo.</p>
Image: Don Diamont gallery yr brad jp
35/59
<p>Call him Brad on <em>The Young and the Restless</em>. Call him Bill on <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em>. But if you have a say in the matter, you’re gonna call him.</p>
Image: Arthur Cohen/NBC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
36/59
<p><em>Another World</em> was exactly where Jake’s portrayer never failed to send us.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
37/59
<p>Even without the neckties, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Ben was always a lady killer in our estimation.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
38/59
<p>Once the soap-hopper caught our attention as <em>All My Children</em>’s Michael — and tightened his grip as Storm on <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> and Julian on <em>General Hospital</em> — he never let go.</p>
Image: JPI
39/59
<p>He played Malcolm on <em>The Young and the Restless</em>. Also, he looked like this. Pretty much still does. Any questions?</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
40/59
<p>When he was playing Greg on <em>All My Children</em>, he was the boy next door… that we all wished we lived next door <em>to</em>!</p>
Image: Robert Milazzo/CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
41/59
<p>It made sense that <em>Guiding Light</em> cast this alum of <em>Loving</em> (as Casey) as junior mafioso Danny — with a mug as stunning as his, he was always destined to attract a… ahem… mob.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
42/59
<p>Forget Ol’ Blue Eyes. <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Chad is the New Blue Eyes — and the only one we need.</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
43/59
<p>Yeah, looking at that picture, we’re as bewildered as you are about how Carter’s portrayer ever wound up on the wrong side of a love triangle on <em>The Bold and the Beautiful.</em></p>
Image: CBS
44/59
<p>The<em> Young & Restless</em> detective is precisely the reason that lines are uttered like — and we give all due credit here to <em>Dick Tracy</em>’s Breathless Mahoney — “Aren’t you gonna frisk me?”</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
45/59
<p>OK, we get it. Even the “What, this old face?” look chosen by the original Zende on <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> to express his surprise at making this list is hot. That’s just the way his looks go: hot, hotter, hottest.</p>
Image: NBC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
46/59
<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em> may have killed and recast Roman, but the one thing that the show has never managed to do is dull the intensity of our crush on his original portrayer.</p>
Image: ABC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
47/59
<p>No matter what mischief the actor’s made over the years as <em>General Hospital</em> pot-stirrer Scotty, he’s remained the kind of trouble that we’re most into.</p>
Image: Universal/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
48/59
<p>Before his name became synonymous with “cheesy,” the <em>Young & Restless</em> alum brought to life Snapper, a doctor as likely to give us palpitations as cure what ails us.</p>
Image: CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
49/59
<p>We’ve intently followed the trail of the silver fox who plays Eric on <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> since before he’d even begun to go silver, back when he was lady killer Lance on <em>The Young and the Restless</em>.</p>
Image: ChrisD/JPI
50/59
<p>OK, OK, we get it: There’s nothing more all-American than a fella as smokin’-hot as the Hallmark mainstay who used to play Nathan on <em>General Hospital.</em> And yes, we’ll happily testify to that effect.</p>
Image: NBC/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
51/59
<p>How irresistible is — and always <em>has</em> been — <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Abe? So irresistible that when <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/580567/days-of-our-lives-james-reynolds-costars-salute-sex-appeal/" target="_blank">an old photo of him was posted online</a>, castmate Paul Telfer (Xander) marveled at his “extreme handsomeness and divine masculinity.”</p>
Image: John Paschal/JPI
52/59
<p>Yes, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Jake is sitting in a wheelbarrow and looking damn sexy while doing so. That’s just one of the perks that comes with being drop-dead gorgeous: arbitrary, sexy wheelbarrow-sitting.</p>
Image: CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
53/59
<p>Yeah, looking at that handsome face, we’re as confused as you are as to why <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> ever decided that Jake should be a photographer, not a model.</p>
Image: CBS/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
54/59
