The Young and the Restless: Path to Hollywood

The Young and the Restless has been the stepping stone for many actors launching their Hollywood careers. In fact, a bevy of well-known actors have been a fixture on our nightly TV watch or a binge-worthy series, and one on this list went to mega-stardom on one of the greatest action franchises of the modern era.

Tom Selleck on The Young and the Restless

Tom was on Y&R from 1974 to 1975 and played the role of Jed Andrews. Jed was a construction worker with rugged good looks, charm, and a mustache mighty enough to rival the great Victor Newman. About five years later, Tom broke onto our screens as Magnum P.I. and became a weekly fixture on our TV sets.

David Hasselhoff

“The Hoff” starred on Y&R from 1975 to 1982 and played the role of Dr. William “Snapper” Foster Jr. William didn't like being named after his father as the man had walked out on his family, so he became known as Snapper as a riff on his winning personality. Starring on The Young and the Restless was Hasselhoff’s first major role. In 1982, David left the show to star in one we all know, Knight Rider. That and Baywatch are the shows that made David a household name.

Shemar Moore

Malcolm Winters remains one of the most loved characters and is one of the most requested to be bought back. Shemar was on Y&R from 1994 to 2002, 2004 to 2005, 2014 to 2019. His charm, great smile, and good looks made him a fan favorite and heartthrob. Shemar left the sudser to join the Criminal Minds cast and later played the lead in the CBS series S.W.A.T., which still runs today.

Vivica A. Fox

A short stint on The Young and the Restless 1994-95 in the role of Dr. Stephanie Simmons lead to Vivica A. Fox’s major breakout role. She was cast in the blockbuster movie Independence Day alongside well-known actors like Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and Jeff Goldblum. The movie was a huge hit and made Vivica a star.

Paul Walker

Last but certainly not least, Paul Walker played Brandon Collins from 1992-93 as a teenage dream boat that Victoria Newman (then Heather Tom) wouldn't give the time of day. Paul later got a breakout role in Movies like Varsity Blues and She’s All That before landing the role that made him internationally famous as Brian O’Connor in the Fast and the Furious franchise. He played one of the two main characters opposite Vin Diesel until his tragic death on November 30, 2013, during the production of Furious 7. Vin Diesel is recognized as the main face of the franchise, but every fan knows none of the movies would have been successful without Paul.

Who was your favorite Hollywood star who began their star-studded journey with The Young and the Restless? Let’s see who you remember in the comments below.

Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS or stream on Paramount Plus.