What happens when a legendary TV star nearly skips out on a blockbuster? Eric Braeden, known for decades as Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless, almost declined a role in James Cameron’s Titanic—simply because the director’s name didn’t interest him at the time.
The Reluctant Passenger
Eric Braeden is a staple for US audiences, having portrayed Victor Newman on The Young and the Restless for over 40 years. But his career reached far beyond daytime TV. For a few scenes in Titanic, Braeden embodied John Jacob Astor, seen in a tuxedo and signature mustache walking the decks of Cameron’s epic. As Braeden recently shared on the “Still Here Hollywood” podcast, he came close to passing on the Oscar-winning film.
Why? At first, he just wasn’t interested. Braeden explained:
“My son, Christian Gudegast, is a director and screenwriter—he directed ‘Criminal Squad' and studied film at UCLA. And my wife is a movie lover. They both told me I should work with James Cameron. I said, ‘I don’t care about James Cameron. I don’t know him.' I asked to read the script, looked over my part, didn't find it very interesting. I said no, as I was tired of the travel and the filming locations.”
Family Influence and Casting Hurdles
It was his wife and son’s insistence that finally convinced Braeden to audition. However, his first experience wasn’t encouraging; the casting director arrived late and was reportedly unpleasant, making the process even less appealing.
Despite the rough start, Braeden went back for another audition a few weeks later. It turned out his efforts there were largely for show: James Cameron, who was already a fan of Braeden’s performance in ‘Colossus', had reportedly decided on Braeden for the role of John Jacob Astor before the second audition took place.
A Short but Memorable Experience
Braeden’s role in Titanic was brief, partly because of his ongoing commitment to The Young and the Restless. Still, he looks back fondly on his time working with Cameron.
“I think if there’s anyone I would call a genius without hesitation, it’s him. He’s brilliant. I talked to some of the image and sound crew, and they said Cameron knew more about their work than all of them together. He’s extremely bright, and it was a joy to work with him.”
For Movie and TV Fans
Fans looking for more insider stories, streaming suggestions, behind-the-scenes trivia, and recommendations about films and series can find endless inspiration from sources like AlloCiné—a popular hub for film news in France—now accessible to international audiences for daily entertainment updates.
