The Young and the Restless actor Eric Braeden reacts to racist posts on social media with cutting remarks. His response sends the soap opera veteran to the top of the trending posts on X/Twitter.
Braeden defends his Black and biracial cast members after a poster made racist comments toward the actors. One post targets actors who have been with The Young and the Restless for decades, calling them “slaves” who need to be “put in their place.”
Disparaging comments are aimed at starring cast member Sean Dominic, Christel Khalil and Bryton James. Both Khalil and James are award-winning actors who joined the Y&R cast over two decades ago.
The comments are from an account with the username Kerry, whose profile says she is a fan of several daytime soaps. Her profile name @ghyrbbfan1974 is based on the initials of General Hospital (GH), The Young and the Restless (YR), and The Bold and the Beautiful (BB).
In her May 31 post on X Kerry wrote, “The three faces that are destroying the show. They all think their high and mighty when they’re not, can’t wait for someone to put these slaves in their place. #YR”
Braeden’s (@EBraeden), who is very outspoken and active on the platform, wrote a reply to the post on June 20 letting Kerry know that she would be blocked because of her racially-motivated comments.
“These three actors are dear colleagues of mine; they have more class than you LOW LIFE can imagine! We are going to block your racist ass, you got that, bit[**]??!!”
Learn more about soap actors Sean Dominic, Christel Khalil and Bryton James
Social media bully targets General Hospital’s Tabyana Ali
The posts with overt racist statements against Black people and actors of colour are from the same social media account with the name Kerry. They are generally vile comments but specific ones target General Hospital actress Tabyana Ali.
In one of the posts she says that Ali’s character Trina is “spreading her Ebola” to another co-worker she is embracing. Kerry then called Ali’s character an “ape” in a post on X on the same day as the Y&R post.
Ali, 22, who made her debut on General Hospital in 2022, responds to the hateful comments in a series of posts on X. On June 9 she sends Kerry peace, love and prosperity.
“To anyone that hates me. That’s absolutely fine. I don’t know you and you don’t me but regardless I’m sending you peace, safety, and prosperity… I also pray you touch some grass, see the sun, eat a delicious meal, and find something to do. Peace and love.”
General Hospital responds by posting a statement on X and Instagram. “General Hospital does not tolerate hatred or bigotry of any kind. Racism has no place in Port Charles. #GH is for everyone.”
Soap opera fans, known as “Soap Twitter,” colleagues, friends and others take offence at the racism aimed at the actors. Some voice their support for Ali online.
Actress Yvette Nicole Brown (@YNB) draws Braeden into the conversation by tagging him in her post alerting the Y&R page manager (@YandR_CBS) to the racist comments. Y&R is in their 50th season on CBS. It premiered March 26, 1973 and is the number one daytime show 33 years running.
General Hospital has been on air about a decade longer, recently celebrating their 60th anniversary. Last year Brown played a nurse on the show.
Brown let Braeden and CBS know that the @GeneralHospital page has already blocked Kerry for her racist comments and that she was now attacking Y&R actors. Braeden then spoke out in defence of his colleagues using some stern words, much like his Y&R character Victor Newman.
Crossing Victor Newman can turn him into your worst nightmare. Braeden has played the character on Y&R since 1980. The pattern, tone, and language he uses in the post are very similar to how his character speaks. The phrase “You got that?” and the term “low life” are often used by Newman in the show.
The words jump off the page. They stand out like Newman smashing a painting or breaking a pencil in a scene. Braeden has such formidable stage presence that he barely needs to raise his voice for dramatic effect. After he joins the conversation Kerry changes her X profile to private.
Says Yolanda (@ScarlettYoli): “And just like that, she’s in lockdown. Now only her 130 followers will see her racist vitriol.”
Y&R actors Sean Dominic, Christel Khalil and Bryton James
Who is Bryton James?
Since joining the The Young and the Restless in 2004, James (@BrytonEJames) has won a Daytime Emmy as outstanding younger actor in a drama series (2007), two NAACP Image Awards, one for outstanding acting in a daytime drama series (2009) and another for outstanding supporting actor (2020). James appeared in over 200 episodes of Family Matters and had recurring roles as Luka on Vampire Diaries.
The actor received recognition for his work with young people as founder of RADD (Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving) Kids, and the Michael Landon Award for his contribution to youth in entertainment. As a musician James performed his debut single Ooh, the Way I Feel About You, on the German TV series Stars 2000 and the song What More Can I Give with Michael Jackson at the United We Stand event to raise funds for victims of 9/11. He was in his first commercial at age two and does a lot of voiceover work for TV.
James was the first biracial character introduced into Y&R’s storyline as such. In the soap world, he is the grandson of Katherine Chancellor (aka Countess), the show’s matriarch played by Jeanne Cooper who passed away in 2013.
Who is Christel Kalil?
Los Angeles resident Christel Kalil (@ChristelAdnana) joined Y&R in 2002 as Lily Winters. In the soap world, she is the daughter of Drucilla and Neil Winters, two African American characters.
She told Soap Opera Digest that she was mixed race when asked about her heritage. “My dad is Pakistani and my mom is Black, white and Native American, so, a little of everything.”
Kalil also shares that in real life she has such a close relationship with her castmate James that she asked him to be godfather to her son.
“Bryton is my oldest and most prominent friend that I have, so it was just a natural choice to me.” He has always been there for her, she says, and now he’s always there for Caden.
The actress who plays a model on Y&R was in a Taco Bell commercial when she was five years old, was in feature films (We Need to Talk, White Like the Moon, Interview with the Assassin, Milo the Kid, Matilda, and Dragonfury) and appeared in multiple TV shows including 2 Broke Girls, Malcolm in the Middle, and That’s So Raven.
She won a Daytime Emmy for her outstanding work as a younger actress in a drama series (2012) and an NAACP Image Award for acting in a daytime drama (2008). Khalil was nominated twice for a Young Artists Award, which recognizes Hollywood’s teen and child stars.
Who is Sean Dominic?
Sean Dominic’s character Dr. Nate Hastings made his debut the show in 2019 as Devon and Lily’s cousin. He’s also the son of legacy character Dr. Olivia Hastings (Tonya Williams).
Domenic was born in Madrid, Spain. As a child he moved often with his single mom who was in the U.S. Airforce. In his younger years he learned to act in plays, play the saxophone and trombone, dance and sing.
He was a model and appeared in commercials in Atlanta before moving to New York City to further develop his acting career. Domenic appeared in Royal Pains, Running out of Time, and had a recurring role as Jabari Johnson in the TV series Greenleaf on OWN.
by Cherryl Bird – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Twitter @ladycbird | Instagram @cherrylbird
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