Adam Wilson (The Young and The Restless)

Adam Wilson (The Young And The Restless)

Victor Adam Newman Jr. is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Created by William J. Bell as the son of Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Hope Wilson (Signy Coleman), the character was born onscreen during the episode airing on April 24, 1995. The character left town two years after his birth and was raised in Kansas with his mother, growing up without the knowledge that Victor was his father. In 2008, Chris Engen began portraying Adam as an adult. After a year in the role, Engen announced his exit from The Young and the Restless due to objections over his storyline, and the character was recast with Michael Muhney. Controversy arose as just weeks into Muhney's debut, Adam seduced another male character, Rafe Torres (Yani Gellman). Engen was accused of homophobia in the media, but the actor later clarified rumors, saying he was unhappy with his storyline long before the gay plot twist.

The character is known as a villain, described as "one of the most devious characters on daytime" by The Advocate. He is notable for his relationships with Sharon Newman (Sharon Case), a pairing regarded as "dark" by SoapNet, and Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan). Other storylines written for the character include his rivalry with his father, who often does not accept him as part of his family. Engen's portrayal garnered significant viewer support, while both viewers and critics have praised Muhney's portrayal.