ON PAUSE

Y&R Superstar Eric Braeden Checked In With Digest About Staying At Home, The State Of Y&R, And His Eventual Return To Work.

- Mara Levinsky

Soap Opera Digest: First of all, tell me, how have these past few weeks been for you? Have you been able to see your grandchildren during quarantine?

Eric Braeden: I have not been able to see my grandchildren, because they live away from here. Only by FaceTime! To be honest with you, I kind of like it. I’m having a pretty good time, reading a lot. And knowing that everyone else isn’t doing anything so you don’t have that, “What am I missing? I need to be out there.” It’s kind of unsettling when you think of a long-term [period of staying at home]. But it is kind of calming, as well, to be frank with you. I read and I work out as I usually do. I have my own gym at home now. Or I just walk a lot and do simple things like push-ups. I can’t really say that I have cabin fever. But the existential angst for a lot of people right now is just horrendous. People who have been cut off from income, my heart goes out to them. It’s a serious business.

Digest: I spoke recently with your pal Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH), who talked about how strange it has felt to be without the routine of going to work. Have you noticed that at all, the absence of that?

Braeden: Yeah, and you know, I’ve been doing it longer than Maurice has! It’s nice to see the old shows that were done under the auspices of [late Y&R Creator/Head Writer] Bill Bell, the master of them all. It’s nice to see that.

Digest: Oh, you’ve been watching the classic Y&R episodes, then?

Braeden: A little bit here and there, yeah.

Digest: Give me your thoughts.