Tracey Bregman Faces ‘Death Threats’ for Her Role on The Young and the Restless

Tracey Bregman has been bringing Lauren Fenmore to life on The Young and the Restless — and later on The Bold and the Beautiful — since 1983. Despite being a beloved character today, she wasn’t always well-received.

Bregman, now 62, discussed the backlash she faced due to her character’s controversial actions during the episode of CBS’s “Soapy” podcast on Tuesday, August 26.

“Having to be mean to Beth Maitland, I mean, really,” she shared.

Bregman and Maitland, 67, who plays Traci Abbott, are good friends, making it particularly challenging for her to portray the bullying dynamic early in their story line.

“I was very aware of how she was feeling, given our close friendship,” Bregman continued. “The storyline focused on her character being a bit self-conscious about her weight, and I had to deliver some harsh lines. Honestly, Beth would tell you that I often cried more than she did during those scenes because it was hard to say those things.”

A significant portion of Bregman’s character’s bullying revolved around comments about Traci’s weight, which did not sit well with the audience.

“But I can tell you, playing the mean girl was a double-edged sword. I received death threats and had people trying to run me off the freeway. It was intense,” she recounted. “There were aspects I never really discussed before, actually.”

Despite the challenges, Bregman reminisced about the enjoyable moments they shared on set, including the times their characters were involved in physical confrontations. She maintained a positive outlook, stating, “It was an extraordinary story for us to perform as actors.”

Furthermore, Bregman’s on-screen husband, Christian LeBlanc, who plays Michael Baldwin, mentioned that embodying a villain often requires conveying “vulnerability and humanity behind the mean exterior,” suggesting that Bregman’s internal struggles only enhanced her character’s complexity.

LeBlanc, 67, often encounters inquiries regarding his preference between playing a “good guy” or “bad guy,” and he always responds that he’d rather portray a “human person.”

“I believe there’s always the one who does wrong for good reasons and right for bad ones,” he said. “That’s the essence of storytelling. When you play a well-rounded character, there’s potential for redemption, as it’s part of the human experience.”

The Young and the Restless airs on CBS every weekday.