Shemar Moore and Vivica A. Fox are returning to The Young and the Restless more than 30 years after first appearing on the CBS soap. The actors will reprise their roles as Malcolm Winters and Stephanie Simmons, beginning production on Tuesday, February 17, for a multi-episode arc set to air in April.
Moore was introduced in 1994 as Malcolm, the charismatic younger brother of Neil Winters (the late Kristoff St. John), and quickly became a fan favorite. He remained on the soap until 2005, later returning for special appearances in 2014 and 2019, and most recently in 2023 for the show's 50th anniversary. That emotional visit included the unveiling of a portrait honoring Neil, who passed away in 2019.
Moore's original run proved pivotal. He won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2000, and eight NAACP Awards over the course of his time on the show. From there, he successfully transitioned into primetime, starring for 11 seasons on Criminal Minds, before leading and executive producing S.W.A.T. on CBS for eight seasons. He now serves as the current EP and star of the spinoff series S.W.A.T. Exiles.
Despite his primetime success, Moore has long made it clear that he hasn't forgotten his daytime roots. In a 2024 interview with First For Women, Moore said he was open to a soap comeback, noting, "If The Young and the Restless called me today, I would go, because you never forget where you came from. It sounds cliché and maybe cheesy, but it's also true."
And Malcolm still has strong ties to Genoa City. In 2006, he was revealed to be the biological father of Lily (Christel Khalil) — who he long believed was his niece — a twist that reshaped the Winters' family dynamics.
Fox's path back to Y&R is also layered with history. She launched her daytime career on the groundbreaking soap Generations as Maya Reubens, working closely with Kristoff St. John, who played Adam Marshall. In 1994, she joined Y&R as Dr. Stephanie Simmons, where she once again worked with St. John, who had already been cast as Neil following Generations' cancellation. Stephanie exited the canvas in 1995, and Fox hasn't returned since, instead building a prolific film and television career.
That career includes box office hits such as Independence Day and Batman & Robin, along with dozens of TV movies and primetime series. In 2025, Fox told People that her soap background nearly cost her one of her earlier film opportunities. When she called her agents about Independence Day, "They were like, honey, you're on a soap opera," she recalled. "This is gonna be a $60 million movie. So sorry." Fortunately, the producer's wife happened to be a Y&R fan, landing Fox an audition that led to the role itself.
Now, with an upcoming MGM/Amazon feature film, "Is God Is," which will be released this May, and her namesake fashion collection with HSN continuing to expand, Fox is coming back to the genre that helped launch her career.
Malcolm and Stephanie's history dates back to 1995, when they shared a brief but memorable romance. Their surprising return "will have shocking and lasting implications for the residents of Genoa City," teases the official release.
The Young and the Restless, Weekdays, CBS, Check Local Listings
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