Which role did Eva Longoria play on The Young and the Restless? Character explored

Eva Longoria played the character of Isabella Braña on The Young and the Restless for about three years. While the character was written off by being sent to a mental facility, Longoria created controversy in 2023, by speaking about her role in a derogatory way, leading to backlash from the soap's senior actor Eric Braeden and others. Longoria was speaking to journalist Chris Wallace in his show, Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?, which aired on March 19, 2023.

For the uninitiated, The Young and the Restless is one of the longest-running ongoing soaps, which premiered in 1973. The soap is currently airing its 51st season and has been renewed to air till 2028. Actor Eva Longoria was part of the soap between 2001 and 2003. Despite speculations about her return in 2012, her character did not return to the storyline.

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The Young and the Restless: Eva Longoria played Isabella Braña in the soap

Eva Longoria was part of the soap between 2001 and 2003. (Image via Instagram/@evalongoria)

American actor-producer Eva Longoria was part of CBS's The Young and the Restless early in her career. She joined the cast as Isabella Braña in 2001 and exited the soap in 2003.

Before Longoria's stint on Y&R, she guest-starred in Beverly Hills, 90210 and General Hospital. This led to her contract role as Isabella on The Young and the Restless. While on the soap, she won the ALMA Awards for being the Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama in 2002.

After exiting the daily soap, she signed ABC's Desperate Housewives to play Gabrielle Solis, who she portrayed for a decade. In her 2023 interview with Chris Wallace, Longoria used derogatory remarks about her stint in the show, stressing that she needed to keep her identity as Isabella actor hidden, causing actor Eric Braeden to call out her remark.

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The Young and the Restless: A brief story arc of Longoria's Isabella Braña

Isabella Braña's character was depicted as a mentally ill woman who had an affair with Paul Williams, Christine Blair's husband. The character was brought in when Christine actor Lauralee Bell was slated to take a break due to pregnancy.

As per the storyline of The Young and the Restless, Michael Baldwin brought Isabella to Genoa City to create a rift between Paul and Christine. Paul took up Isabella's legal case against her husband and sheltered her. Intending to leave after her case wound up, Isabella's closeness with Paul resulted in a pregnancy.

Isabella played Michael by telling him the baby was his, while Paul's marriage was breaking up. However, when the truth was exposed, Paul was ready to raise Isabella's baby with his son from his marriage.

After the birth of her son Ricky Williams, Isabella wanted to raise her family with Paul. Meanwhile, Christine, disguised as Kelly Simmons, investigated Isabella and found out the truth about Michael's involvement in Isabella's arrival in Genoa City. When she told Paul the truth, the estranged couple reunited.

An enraged Isabella planned her revenge by pretending to have been killed by Christine. At the same time, she drugged Christine and tried to kill her. Paul arrived to save Christine. And when she tried to kill the couple, Michael arrived to save them. She was committed to a mental health facility. This was the last time Longoria was seen on The Young and the Restless.

Isabella's son, Ricky, was raised by her parents when the child visited his mother in the facility. When a grownup Ricky arrived in Genoa City in 2012, he tried to kill Eden Baldwin, leading to being shot by his father. After the tragic incident, Paul tried to meet Isabella but she was shown humming and brushing her hair. That was the last time there was a reference to Isabella on the soap.

The Young and the Restless currently airs on CBS on all weekdays unless specified otherwise.