The Many Faces of Adam Newman – A Look at the Actors Who Played this Pivotal Role on Y&R – Vote For Your Favourite (POLL)

Adam Newman has been a pivotal character on Young and the Restless since he came to Genoa City as an adult. He’s proved that he’s very much Victor Adam Newman Jr, his father’s child. He’s injected Botox into his eyes to fake blindness to get out of jail, had sex with a man to further his ambitions (even though he’s decidedly heterosexual) and tormenting his enemies (both real and perceived). Adam has been in and out of jail, an insane asylum and the beds of many beautiful women. This Y&R bad boy has permanently made his mark on the fans of all Y&R fans. Here’s a look at the three actors that have portrayed adult Adam Newman over the past eight years.

Chris Engen

Chris portrayed Adam Newman from February 2008 through June 2009, but back then Adam went by the surname Wilson rather than Newman. Engen was born October 25, 1979 in Apple Valley, California. In addition to acting, he’s a songwriter and musician. He had a recurring role on CSI:NY, As If and JJ Abram’s first hit TV show Felicity. Engen has also appeared in several movies including the Dirty Dancing sequel, the prequel to Easy Rider and Sasquatch Mountain among others.

After a little more than a year on Y&R, Engen chose to leave the show abruptly. There was speculation at the time that he didn’t like the new and darker path the show’s writers were crafting for Adam Newman. There were also rumors that Engen was uncomfortable with the same-sex story line between Adam and Rafe Torres. After being accused of being a homophobe, Engen spoke out and said that although he was raised a Catholic and attended Catholic school, he fully accepted homosexuality as a “quality of beingness” and said that “many of my dearest friends are homosexuals.”

Michael Muhney

Michael portrayed Adam Newman from June 2009 through January 2014 and his departure prompted major outrage by fans. Muhney was born June 12, 1975 in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to being a handsome and talented actor, he’s a smart guy. Muhney earned a theater degree from DePaul University, speaks German, knows American Sign Language (ASL) and is a member of genius society Mensa.

Aside from his role as Adam on Y&R, Muhney has had minor roles in a number of popular TV series including ER, JAG, Charmed and CSI:Miami. Prior to landing the Young and the Restless gig, Muhney was best known as Sheriff Don Lamb on the hit TV show Veronica Mars. Like Engen, Muhney’s departure from the Y&R came with controversy. He was fired after Hunter King (actress who plays Summer Newman) accused him of groping her breasts and told Y&R show runners that she would go to the police unless they fired him. They did but Muhney insists the incidences never happened.

What’s interesting is that Y&R producer Jill Farren Phelps didn’t fire Muhney right away. Instead, it was rumored that she tried to make Adam’s character as detestable as possible so that it might not upset fans so much when they fired him. In reality, Muhney says he went to Phelps on several occasions and threatened to quit or have her fire him over some issues he had with how Adam was being written. Instead, Phelps rode out his contract and fired him just before he would have left anyway. Her plot (like so many soap plots) didn’t work and fans were still outraged and threatened to boycott Y&R.

Justin Hartley

Justin took on the role of Adam Newman 10 month after Muhney’s departure when the writers decided to revive the character. Hartley was born January 29, 1977 in Knoxville, TN. He was married to fellow soap actress Lindsay Hartley and they have one child, a daughter named Isabella, but split last year. Hartley was a jock in high school playing many sports and maintains an avid interest in baseball and basketball.

Hartley is the most prolific actor of the three that have portrayed Adam Newman. He’s known for sizable featured roles on Smallville, Mistresses, Revenge, Emily Owens MD and Smallville. On Y&R, Hartley is currently playing Adam Newman/Gabriel Bingham. The real Gabriel drowned saving Adam from a car fire and he took on his persona since both Adam and Gabriel had a vested interest in getting revenge on Victor Newman.

Although many fans were stunned and upset over the loss of Michael Muhney, it seems that they’re impressed with how adeptly Justin Hartley has stepped into the role and embodied the dastardly character of Adam Newman. Which actor was your favorite Adam Newman? Were you a die-hard Muhney fan, was Engen more to your taste or are you all into Hartley?