Isabella Braña Williams
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Isabella Braña Williams was a fictional character on the long-running and highly rated The Young and the Restless. She was played by Eva Longoria from February 2001 to August 2003.
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[edit] Character
Isabella came to town as a favor to Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc), to help break up Paul (Doug Davidson) and Christine Williams (Lauralee Bell), as Michael wanted Christine for himself. Isabella came to Paul as a "damsel in distress", in hiding and afraid of her ex-husband who was in prison. Paul took the case and she ended up moving into his apartment to be safe. Paul became more and more drawn to Isabella, but insisted that they keep their distance while she was his client. During his investigation, Paul found documents that proved James was guilty, and he was brought to justice for his crimes. However, Paul also discovered that Isabella did more than just the books for her husband's business when he found Isabella among the photos in a book of call girls for hire. Paul confronted her about it, she admitted it was true, and Paul eventually forgave her.
Isabella kept trying to leave town, but either Michael or Paul would give her another reason to stay. She ended up pregnant with Paul's child, after a one-night stand. That same night, Christine decided to come back to Genoa City from Australia and work on their broken marriage, walking in on them kissing passionately in the living room. Instead Christine crept back out, and filed for divorce.
Isabella didn't want to tell Paul that she was pregnant because she felt that he was too hung up on Christine, so she had a brief affair with Michael and told him that he was the father. Michael was outraged at first and even drew up legal papers for her sign. But Isabella has something on Michael from the past, so he backed down and went along with her demands of rent, baby furniture, and everything she needed to live until the baby was born. Michael also arranged for a job for her in another town for afterward. Just as Michael was softening to the idea of a child and a future with Isabella, and Paul was getting involved with former wife Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman), Paul found out about the baby's paternity and wanted to be a father to the child. With this major lie, Isabella fell out of grace with both Michael and Paul's mother, Mary (Carolyn Conwell).
Paul moved in with Isabella and she continued to use her manipulating ways to keep him under her thumb as tightly as possible. Mary went to great lengths to try to convince her son that Isabella was wrong for him and would ruin his life, and to convince Isabella to go away to a home for unwed mothers. All despite the fact that Isabella was providing Mary with the grandchild, and Paul with the child, they both have always wanted. Mary even begged for help from unlikely sources in Lauren, Christine, and even Michael - all of whom she disapproved as well, but had had no luck at all. But Paul moved out on his own volition when Isabella started pressuring him to get married. Their baby boy, Ricardo Carl Williams, was born, but unlike Isabella's delusions, Paul was not willing to become a happy family with her. Complicating things was the sudden return of Christine, who rebuffed him for the baby's sake, although she still had feelings for Paul. Paul's response was to marry and move in with Isabella.
Christine spent long hours working with Michael and they became closer, sharing dinners and their feelings together. They finally broached the subject of their past, and although Chris agreed Michael was a changed man, it still haunted her. That and her still lingering feelings for Paul made it rough on Michael. But Christine decided to put the past behind her and accepted Michael's marriage proposal. Paul invited Isabella's estranged father, Ricardo (William Marquez) to Ricky's christening, and they happily reunited. Michael showed up, asked Ricardo not to mention they knew each other or Isabella's past, and then announced his engagement to Chris, much to Paul's rage. Paul attacked Michael, who left with a black eye. Later Paul showed up at Chris's apartment and forced himself on her. This plot twist shocked audiences as Paul had a reputation for being the "good guy". It is unknown even now whether or not it was rape. The next morning Christine disappeared, leaving both Michael and Paul wondering. Chris was gone for months when the guilt got to Paul, and he told Isabella that he and Chris had sex that night. Isabella left him, only returning occasionally to see Ricky.
Chris returned in disguise as the dark-haired mysterious Kelly Simmons, bent on getting information on Isabella. Paul saw through Chris' disguise, and they came to an understanding about the "rape", but Paul chose Isabella and his son. Paul then took Ricky to Isabella's parents in Los Angeles, leaving her to finish packing for their move there. Just before they were to be married, Michael confessed to Chris that he set up Isabella to meet Paul so she and Paul would split for good, then Michael could have Chris. Chris exploded, walked out on Michael, and flew to L.A. to tell Paul the whole story. There she found Paul camping on a beach, told him the truth, and they ended up making love in the sand. Upon their return to Genoa City, Paul moved back into their former apartment with Chris, while Isabella plotted revenge.
One night Isabella called her only friend, Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters), who was with Michael, telling them someone was breaking in, and then screaming. When Michael arrived he found what appeared to be a bloody murder scene and Isabella missing. Christine woke up unconscious in her car in the woods and told Michael and Paul of her only memory - Isabella screaming not to hurt her, of blood, and a boat. Michael tracked down the boat, which was covered in blood, and destroyed the evidence against Chris. The night before Chris was to be arrested for Isabella's murder, she was attacked in her bathtub by a very much alive Isabella, who had drugged her wine, telling her how she had set her up, while wielding a butcher knife. Paul arrived just in time, slugged Isabella and knocked her out. As he was reviving the nearly drowned Christine, Michael arrived and saved them both from the crazed Isabella. The cops arrived and hauled Isabella away, and she was committed to a mental hospital.
[edit] Family, marriages and romantic entanglements
[edit] Marriages
- James Franklin (divorced)
- Paul Williams (married; 2003 -- estranged)
[edit] Relatives
- Ricardo Braña (Father)
- Trinidad Braña Brana (Mother)
- Marta (maternal aunt)
- Juan (maternal uncle)
- Ricardo Carl Williams (son; with Paul)
[edit] Romantic entanglements
- Michael Baldwin (affair)
[edit] Crimes committed
- Attempted murder of Christine Blair, after setting her up for Isabella's own murder.
- Associated with her ex-husband's illegal business - pornography was involved. Offered immunity from charges for her help with the case.
- Prostitution
