Soap Alums Throw Gasoline on Eric Braeden/Eva Longoria Beef Even as the Young & Restless Star Puts Out the Fire

“This guy is completely out of line.”

When The Young and the Restless‘ Eric Braeden speaks, people listen. And because he’s a man who isn’t afraid to say what’s on his mind, people often react. So it wasn’t a surprise when his comments regarding former costar Eva Longoria (ex-Isabella) caused a bit of a stir. What’s a bit more surprising is that now, just as things appeared to be dying down, a pair of former daytimers have decided to stir up the embers.

If you need a refresher, the whole mess began when Braeden took offense to comments Longoria made during an interview with Chris Wallace. After laughing and cringing her way through a particularly heavy-handed clip, the actress went on to admit she was not making enough money on Young & Restless to justify quitting her other job.

In response, Braeden accused Longoria of making “derogatory remarks” about soap actors. He added, “You weren’t good enough to survive the pressures of the medium” and suggested she was lucky to “get on that ‘housewife’ show,” clearly a reference to the 2004-2012 primetime hit Desperate Housewives on which she starred as Gabrielle Solis.

Housewives — in which Longoria (far right) starred — was, ironically, a primetime soap mocking daytime serials.

Credit: Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

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For a day or two, it seemed this was all Soap Twitter could talk about. And eventually, Braeden appeared ready to move on, having made his point and defended the genre he so clearly loves. “Not worth pursuing,” he told a follower. “I wish her well in that new show on CNN she’ll do about culinary tradition of Mexico. A very rich and varied tradition!”

Yes.. and I have forgotten about it! Not worth pursuing!
I wish her well in that new show on CNN she’ll do about culinary tradition of Mexico! A very rich and varied tradition!

— Eric Braeden (@EBraeden) March 23, 2023

Done and done, right?

Well, not quite. Because former daytimers Eric Winter (ex-Rex, Days of Our Lives) and Roselyn Sanchez (Pilar, As the World Turns) addressed the topic on their podcast, “He Said, Ella Dijo.” And it’s safe to say that they were definitely not #TeamBraeden.

“I was like, ‘You’re messing with my girl? Not happening!'” said Sanchez before she and Winter, to whom she’s been married since 2008, dove into a recap of the story.

“The bottom line is this grumpy actor, Eric Braeden, an older gentleman who’s a soap veteran, he’s been around forever in the soap world … goes on a rant.” Winter then declared that “nothing Eva said was inappropriate. This guy was completely out of line.”

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Winter went on to point out that Braeden “doesn’t know what Eva’s financial stance was at that time of her career. I guarantee you he was making a ton more money than she was!” The conversation also touched on the pay disparity that has long existed between men and women, and was certainly even greater when Longoria appeared on the soap 20 years ago.

For those needing a quick brush-up, Longoria joined the show as Isabella, a schemer brought to Genoa City by Christian LeBlanc’s Michael in order to come between Paul and Christine. Eventually, Isabella would seduce Paul and have his baby before attempting to murder Chris and wind up committed to an asylum.

During Longoria’s sting on the soap, LeBlanc’s Michael was… well, let’s just say he wasn’t a very nice fellow!

Credit: Jesse Grant/JPI

A clearly upset Sanchez insisted that Braeden needed to apologize to Longoria, a longtime friend to both her and Winter. “You were out of line and what you said was completely uncalled for,” she suggested. She went on to add that it was one thing to say he “didn’t appreciate as a soap opera actor what you said about how much money we make for a living because I make a decent living. Just speak for yourself.”

Ironically, Sanchez ended the segment — which came shortly after she spoke of wanting to do a podcast which enlightened people and, in essence, brought out people’s better nature — by saying “old man, bye!” This came directly on the heels of Winter suggesting Braeden — one of the most recognizable and iconic stars in daytime history — was “trying to find a way in his older age to get back in the spotlight for whatever reason.”

Anyone needing a reminder as to how Braeden’s Victor became the daytime legend he is need look no further than the gallery below in which we highlight just some of his many storylines.