Kyle Abbott (The Young and the Restless)

Kyle Jenkins Abbott is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Born onscreen on January 8, 2001, the character is the son of businessman Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and Diane Jenkins (Maura West).^[1] For the character's first three-year run, he was portrayed by a series of infant toddler actors. In 2010, the character returned, portrayed as slightly older by child actor Garrett Ryan. After two years, he was rapidly aged to an adult, with Blake Hood stepping into the role in April 2012. Upon his return, Kyle began dating Eden Baldwin (Jessica Heap).

In March 2013, after a year in the role, Hood was let go and announced to be replaced by Hartley Sawyer. The soap opera had initially issued a casting call for a character named Connor Boyd, and due to his characteristics resembling that of Kyle, his casting was kept quiet. Hood stated that his ouster came as a shock to him. Sawyer made his debut on April 24, 2013. The character's six-year absence was criticized, and his age upon his 2010 return received unfavorable reviews. Hood was positively received in the role, and the decision to release him and replace him with Sawyer has also been criticized. Australian actor Lachlan Buchanan took claim of the role in 2015, making his first appearance on February 25.

Casting

Hartley Sawyer was cast in the role in 2013 before being let go eight months after a debut.

The role was originally portrayed by two sets of twins, Connor and Garret Sullivan and Marissa and Madison Poer from 2001 to 2002,^[2][3] and twins Cooper and Oliver Guynes in 2002.^[4] Seth Stern portrayed the role in 2004.^[5] Following the character's return after a 6-year absence, the role was assumed by Garrett Ryan on February 25, 2010.^[6] He initially departed after two episodes, though returned as a recurring cast member eight months later on October 12, 2010.^[7][8] When asked at the 38th Daytime Emmy Awards if he was remaining with the series, Ryan replied: "Um, yes. I'm definitely sticking around on the show. I've been on a lot lately..."^[9] Ryan was last seen as Kyle on January 5, 2012.^[10][11]

In March 2012, the character was rapidly aged, with Blake Hood cast to portray Kyle as an adult.^{[12][13][14][15]} He was previously known for his role of Mark Driscott on The CW's 90210.^[16] Hood debuted on April 27, 2012.^[17][18] Hood was surprised at how fast the process of soap operas where, and also credited Peter Bergman (who plays his on-screen father, Jack) as being very "gracious" and kind to him, lending experience.^[19] In March 2013, after a year in the role, Hood was let go and replaced with Hartley Sawyer.^[20] The soap opera had issued a casting call for a character named "Connor Boyd" in January and, due to the character sounding very much like Kyle, Sawyer's casting was kept quiet.^[21] Casting directors used a scene previously been performed by Noah Newman to recast the character.^[22] Hood stated his ouster and replacement came as a shock to him.^[22] Sawyer made his debut on April 24, 2013.^[21]

In December, it was announced that Sawyer had been let go from the role eight months after a debut.^{[23][24][25][26]} He made his last appearance on January 27, 2014.^[25] In January 2015, it was announced that Australian actor Lachlan Buchanan had been cast in the role, and he debuted on February 25, 2015.^[27] In October, a representative for the soap opera confirmed that Buchanan had been dropped to a recurring status, but would continue to make appearances in the role.^[28]

Character development

Ryan described has being a "little brat" but noted that it was "fun to play".^[9] Following Kyle being rapidly aged and returning to town, Hood stated that his new agenda was to "be close to his dad and move on with his life". However, Hood talked about how Kyle's goal to "live a happy full life" may not happen because he just happened to have "stepped into this situation where the woman who killed his mother is still here." Kyle was "less than pleased" that his father Jack was re-developing a relationship with his ex-wife Nikki, who killed his mother in self-defense.^[29] Hood further said: "What’s great is that [Kyle’s] come back and [is] so much older now. It really feels like I can do whatever I want with the character ... [Kyle] hasn’t seen these people in 15 years or so."^[19]

Storylines

2001–04

Kyle was born with the name Christian Victor Newman on January 8, 2001.^[30][31] His mother Diane learned that her ex-husband, Victor Newman, had his sperm frozen,^[32] and when she obtained it she had herself artificially inseminated to carry Victor's child,^[33] and she later gave birth and told him he was the father.^[31] In reality, Diane's nemesis Nikki Newman had switched the sperm sample,^[34] and she was shocked to discover it was that of Jack.^[35] Soon after, she renamed the baby Kyle. Jack sued for sole custody of Kyle but lost, but once Diane burned down the Abbott poolhouse and tried to frame Jack's wife Phyllis Summers for it,^[36] he and Phyllis obtained custody of Kyle. However, Jack eventually gave Kyle back to Diane,^[37] and they moved to Chicago.^[38]

2010–

Six years later, as an arranged surprise for Jack from his new wife, Emily Peterson (Stacy Haiduk), Kyle, along with Diane, made a brief return to Genoa City to visit with Jack while Jack and Kyle became acquainted. Diane returned to town with Kyle again eight months later. Kyle resided in Genoa City, while both of his parents were being investigated by the SEC for plotting against Victor and making money off his stocks after making the world believe that he died. His mother sent him to boarding school in Switzerland without informing Jack because she was planning on faking her own murder and then joining her son. She also pleaded with Victor to sign the custody papers for Kyle if anything were to ever happen to her. It was unknown whether Diane was just following Adam Newman's (Michael Muhney) orders in her faked murder plot, or if she really did want Victor to have custody of Kyle over Jack. Then, Jack found out that Diane sent Kyle away the night that she was actually murdered. After Diane's death, Jack tracked Kyle down under his alias, Timothy Bilton, and went to Switzerland to bring his son home. Jack then had to tell Kyle that his mother was killed.

While his father was under investigation, Kyle stole Jack's Harvard class ring that the police were looking for as evidence. He reasoned that he already had his mother taken away from him, and he wanted to keep his dad. Later, Victor showed Jack the custody papers that Diane made him sign, and Jack was infuriated at Victor and his deceased ex-wife for trying to take his son away from him. Jack vowed to fight to keep Kyle with his biological family. Kyle and Jack revealed to everyone that Kyle would be moving to New York to attend a hockey boarding school, and he left two weeks later. Kyle returns a grown adult for his new cousin's christening in April 2012. Upon seeing Nikki, the woman who killed Diane, and Jack together, he expresses his anger and distaste towards their relationship, claiming that they were bashing his mother's memory by being together. Afterward, Kyle went to Victor to ask if he could move in with him as Victor always said he was "welcome," and takes a job at Newman Enterprises. He then began dating Eden Baldwin (Jessica Heap), and made friends with many pillars of the town.

When Victor suddenly went missing and his wife Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) took over the ranch, Kyle eventually moved out after he could no longer deal with her. As a result of him insulting her, Sharon stole Kyle's driver's license as part of her kleptomania. Afterward, Jack told Kyle he was welcome to move back to the Abbott mansion, which he did. While working at Newman Enterprises, Kyle takes a liking to Phyllis and enlist her help in keeping an eye on Jack. When Kyle realizes that his father has been abusing his pain medications, he leaks the story to the press in an attempt to get Jack to realize he needs help. When Jack resigns as CEO of Newman Enterprises, he offers Kyle a job at Jabot Cosmetics, where he attracts the attention of young model Summer Newman (Hunter King). While initially dismissing her as too young, he later takes a liking to her and they begin a relationship. Summer's parents, Phyllis and Nicholas Newman (Joshua Morrow), secretly know that Summer is actually Jack's daughter, and Kyle is dating his half-sister. In an attempt to lure Kyle away from Summer, Phyllis kisses him and he ends their relationship. They briefly reunite before the truth about Summer's paternity is revealed, bringing their relationship to a permanent end. Kyle then continues working at Jabot alongside his father and later Hilary Curtis (Mishael Morgan) when Jack wants to find out what Victor is doing with Newman Enterprises' merger with Chancellor Industries. In order to do so, Jack enlists Kyle to ask Victor to rehire him at his company so he can get information on Bonaventure Industries, one of the company's subsidiaries. While working there, Kyle clashes with Noah Newman (Robert Adamson), who eventually reports him to Victor and he is fired. Soon after, it is said that Kyle was sent to work for Jabot in New York. In February 2015, Kyle (Lachlan Buchanan) returns to Genoa City, when he is recused and believed to be missing resident Austin Travers (Matthew Atkinson).

Reception

In 2009, Jamey Giddens of Zap2it wrote that Zack Conroy would fit well as a teenaged version of the character, saying he "would kill to see Conroy create the role of a teenage Kyle Abbott on The Young and the Restless". He also criticized Kyle's absence over the years and predicted his return to the soap opera, writing: "Imagine Kyle Abbott arriving in Genoa City with a massive chip on his shoulder. Maybe he could seduce that annoying Eden away from Noah, or get involved in a steamy affair with a woman twice his age, like Lauren Fenmore (the woefully-underutilized Tracey Bregman)?"^[39] Jillian Bowe (also of Zap2it) criticized Ryan's introduction and the character's return in 2010, writing: "Sound the alarm and blow the trumpets. After years of begging and pleading with the regime over at The Young and the Restless to bring back Jack Abbott's (Peter Bergman) sons, one of them finally appears—sort of. Since Diane (now played by 30-something Maura West) returned, Y&R has all but beat fans over the head in reminding us of how Kyle was conceived, all the while neglecting to explain why Abby—who was conceived at the very same time as her cousin—is now decades older than him. What gives? De-SORASing the long-anticipated character of Kyle Abbott is a huge no-no and gigantic re-write of history. Good, bad or sticky, Y&R fans will always remember that two babies came from Kay Alden's wacky, sperm caper. My vote is Y&R needs to age Kyle appropriately before fans decide to flush this story (if not Jack and Victor's swimmers) down the drain."^[40] Tommy Garrett of the website Highlight Hollywood wrote that Hood's performance was "sensational" and found him "very handsome"; though was unfavorable of his successor, Sawyer, writing: "Hartley Sawyer, who with all due respect, is not attractive and actually very boring in the role."^[41] Soap Opera Digest described the decision to "dump the charming Blake Hood" and recast the character with Sawyer as "puzzling".^[42]

References