Former “Desperate Housewives” actress Eva Longoria has caught the ire of “The Young & Restless” mainstay Eric Braeden for making what she called “derogatory comments” about acting on soap operas.
Braeden, who played ruthless mogul Victor Newman on the long-running CBS series, took umbrage at Longoria’s comments about his humble beginnings in the daytime drama during a recent interview on CNN’s “Who’s Talking to Chris?” Wallace?” which aired on Sunday.
The 48-year-old actress, currently promoting her upcoming film “Flamin’ Hot,” played Isabella Braña on the CBS soap opera for two years in early 2000.
“When I got ‘Young and the Restless,’ it didn’t pay me enough to live as an actor. So I kept headhunting and ‘Young and the Restless,’” he revealed. “And I would hide the fact that I was in ‘Young and the Restless’ from my clients, because they didn’t want some dumb actress paying their bills.”
He said he denied his soap experience to a customer who recognized it.
“I was like the opposite of a publicist’s dream. I was like, ‘Don’t tell anyone I’m on that show’ because I was still making more money at my day job,” said the Corpus Christi, Texas native, who also appeared on “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “Hospital General,” he recalled.
Those memories did not sit well with Braeden, who has been on the show since 1980.
“EVA LONGORIA: you just made disparaging comments about daytime actors!” the 81-year-old Emmy Award winner wrote on Twitter. “You just weren’t good enough to survive the pressures of this medium! You were so lucky to be on that ‘housewife’ show! You made a show in 8-12 days, with mediocre but lewd dialogue!”
Braeden did not stop criticizing the L’Oreal spokesman.
“Our actresses would run around you! And they did it then!! From Robert (De Niro) to whoever they are, many of them started in the medium you denigrate! It shows a complete lack of class!!”
Many of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities got their start in daytime dramas. They include Oscar winner Julianne Moore (“As The World Turns”), Golden Globe winner Demi Moore (“General Hospital”), “Creed III” star and director Michael B. Jordan (“All My Children”). “) and the star of “SWAT”. Shemar Moore (“The Young and the Restless”).
“When people who have not succeeded in the medium (daytime television) or who have no idea what it is about say pejorative things about it, I get pissed off!” Braden was furious. “Because I’m one of the few people who’s done it all, from theater to movies to a ton of late-night guest star roles! I know what I’m talking about!'”
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, “The Young & The Restless” is the longest running soap opera on CBS.
