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Where does one even begin when compiling a list of the cold, calculated, vengeful machinations perpetuated by Y&R’s most dastardly of villains, Adam Wilson?  Try this: Gaslighting Ashley and making her believe she was pregnant, all the while knowing he caused her miscarriage, after dressing up like his father’s ex-wife Sabrina to spook the then Mrs. Newman.  Next, to cover his tracks, doing the ultimate in soap opera baby switcheroos, by giving poor Sharon Newman’s new born baby girl to Ashley, and telling Sharon her baby died.  Let’s not forget sleeping with his lawyer Rafe to keep him from finding incriminating evidence of his deeds, while at the same time sleeping with Heather Stevens.  Then, there’s framing your father multiple times, faking your own death, kidnapping, blackmail, and playing severe mind games with the psychotic Patty Williams, and then brilliantly masterminding it to look as if she is the prime suspect in the Richard Hightower murder investigation.  The list of deeds goes on and on.

But is the gig finally up for Adam?  This week on Y&R, as witnesses testify in a court of law to all his devious plots, Adam could finally be brought to justice… but not if his sharp and smarmy lawyer Vance Abrams (Eric Roberts) has anything to do with it.  And, tomorrow and Monday are also the airdates marking the return of Signy Coleman as Adam’s deceased mother, Hope. When the news spread of her brief visit, many are hoping it’s to shed some light on Adam’s past, but will it?  Or, could it be something else that comes to light?

For the last 14 months, actor Michael Muhney (Adam) has managed to navigate through playing this bad boy, yet giving the audience glimpses of humanity and complexities seldom seen in the daytime genre.  Muhney, a true renegade who marches to his own beat, spoke with On-Air On-Soaps for an in-depth look into his alter-ego, Adam Wilson (aka Victor Newman Jr.) plus his thoughts on this role of a lifetime, and for a preview of Friday’s pivotal episode which will in turn cause new shockwaves for the folks in Genoa City for some time to come!

MICHAEL:

To begin, what did you think of Sharon shooting Adam, and not accusing her of having “intent to kill”? Was this another way for audience members to see this as the beginning of Adam’s road to redemption?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

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This word that is being used so frequently: “redemption”… I feel that it’s a tricky word.  I know there are audience members who don’t want redemption.  They think, “Phooey.” But, what is interesting is if you do “non-redemption redemption”.  So what you get in exchange is the “greying” of a character.  There are historical things and pain in Adam’s past that make him tick.  They are things that may never be righted from the wrong.  So, you have to always wonder, what is his decision going to be at the moment with this person?  The not knowing is what is great, because if you redeem him, then he is supposed to be really good.  Then everyone would know five steps ahead what he is going to do.  However, with a  “non-redemption redemption” you’ve got him doing morally ambiguous things, and making some right choices.  Other times, he is doing things out of spite, or revenge, anger, or pain. There is a mixture there that is a recipe for success and character longevity.  And for him, standing up and doing the right thing for Sharon isn’t a heroic move, rather it’s a side of Adam that does exist that is speaking.  But on any other day, he might make a different choice in regards to another character on the canvas.  It’s an interesting balance.

MICHAEL:

Adam has done some of the most heinous things ever in the history of soap!  It is a hard pill for many fans to swallow.  Everyone should have plugged the guy multiple times for being the biggest sonofabitch!  How do you view his “payback”?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

What you have is fireworks, and that explosion potential.  I actually don’t mind having people calling for Adam’s head.  And also, let’s say they want to make this character a Victor 2.0.  You can’t lock him up in jail for the rest of his life, or take him off the show for five years.  You don’t really kill him off – but you have to make him “pay” for certain things.  So you have to drag him through the mud, and tie him to your rear bumper, and drive him around town and let him get all skidded up, and have everyone pointing and laughing.  So he is not paying in the traditional way. 

MICHAEL:

Right, because then you can’t keep him around.  So, do you think at this point in the story Adam is getting his just desserts?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

The unrequited love of Sharon and being torn away from someone he really loves is certainly some sort of payback. He has also been the most hated man in town. There is a lot he has gotten away with, but in the end, he hasn’t gotten away with it.  I think this is indicative of real life where everyone is not brought to an exact finite justice, but you’re paying for things that you have done.

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MICHAEL:

Quite obviously, he has major issues with all his parents that caused this seismic shift in his personality, and we are all waiting with bated breath to find out what more could have happened to him in his past.

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

A thing I like to play with Victor and Eric Braeden (Victor) is something so deep.  All three closest people in his life lied to him, and that is part of what made Adam decide that truth and lies apparently don’t matter.  All in one fell swoop, within a day, your mother is dying any minute and this is your hero.  She has been your mom and your dad for all these years.  She has been the person who has kept you grounded.  Your father, who passed away when you were really young, lied to you, too. And surprise, your real biological father, he has been lying to you by never having showed up.  It was like the big joke was on him.  They all manipulated a whole situation to control his circumstances, and there is such fallout for that for Adam.

MICHAEL:

Clearly, he has issues with men!

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

There ya go!  There is a father issue and there are some serious issues, such as Adam thinking: why would my mother not even give me the choice to have a relationship with my real father?  Then he thought about Victor: “I don’t care what my mom told you to do. You should have fought that tooth and nail.”  So as a man there was that feeling of: “Was I rejected by my father, because he did not feel I would measure up to the Newman standards?  And that I could potentially be born blind and I was seen as damaged goods?” These are residual issues for Adam that carry through to this day.

MICHAEL:

Signy Coleman (Hope) returns on Friday for two highly touted episodes. Chris Engen portrayed Adam when Hope died on-screen a few years back.  How was working with Signy?  And, will these scenes be the tipping point for the audience to start caring about Adam?

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MICHAEL MUHNEY:

Signy is great, giving, and available as an actress.  She is committed to every moment and scene.  As to the upcoming scenes, with viewers then having more understanding about Adam, I read that interview that Signy gave to TV Guide Magazine. I think what she gave was a subjective comment.  The reason I say that is, because I have been realizing over time that there is a contingent of the audience out there who are open minded and can go with the flow. They will roll with it, and there are others that are not having it.

MICHAEL:

So there is not a: “Oh, my God! This is why he is such a terror” moment.

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

When I read Signy’s interview I cringed.  I went, “Oh gosh. I know there are some people now thinking there will be some massive big reveal.”   I feel like the way it’s been handled is subtle and circumstantial, and it leaves things up for question.  I like the ambiguity of wondering, “Was Adam sexually molested when he was 8?”

MICHAEL:

So as the decision of the trial comes in, Hope appears to Adam?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

The judgment comes down on Friday’s episode.  The real meat to chew on with Adam and Hope are tied into that episode.  I certainly hope it plays out for the fans as well as I had imagined.

MICHAEL:

OK.  There is been major confusion on this trial for some viewers.  To clarify, what crime or crimes is Adam actually in court for?  Shall I give you the laundry list? (Laughs)

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

With Adam there is a myriad of crimes, but the heart and soul of it is the Richard Hightower murder.  That is what he is out on bail for at the moment, having originally been arrested for murder.  The judge is deciding right now if he should send Adam to trial for conspiracy to commit murder.  Everyone is unsure if there is enough evidence to do so. All of his crimes are sort of rolled into one on Friday’s episode, when the judge hands down his decision.

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MICHAEL:

Will Adam have to take the stand in coming episodes, or have a meltdown on the witness stand?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

I did it already, actually… Adam realizing he had no way out but to have the judge rule that he is not fit to stand trial, but once that got reversed; it’s like the OJ Simpson case.  It is similar in this way:  a lot of people said, “No, I don’t care what is being said.  I know he is guilty.”  Or, “I don’t care what is being said.  He is innocent.”  In cases like that, the main attraction does not often get on the stand and plead their own case.

MICHAEL:

What was your initial reaction when the Y&R powers-that-be said to you, “Hey Michael, Eric Roberts is going to play your attorney!”

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

I was in my car and picking up Chinese food for dinner, and I remember taking a brief pause, going, “Man, this is going to be good.”  I was thrilled and I had a smile on face, and it was met with the reality of meeting Eric.  I enjoy his charisma.  There is a magnetic quality about him that makes you just want to watch him.  He and I have powerful chemistry – whether that translates on screen I don’t know.  He and I really click, and really get along.  I have appreciated all the adoration he has shown me in the press.   The man even tracked me down in my dressing room one day.  I was completely naked, my door was not locked, and I was in the middle of a costume change.  I hear a knock on my door and I go, “Who is it?”  And I hear, “A friend!”  So I get some clothes on and Eric comes in and says, “I just have to tell you kid, you are phenomenal! You have it.  I have done some checking on past episodes that you have done, and I am usually not impressed with people.”   From that moment to know that you have someone to work with in a storyline who respects your acting choices, you can’t help but be open to them.

MICHAEL:

With Eric Roberts, Sean Young, and Y&R’s stunt casting, how do you think these actors fare on daytime when they have been working in film and primetime for a long time?  Eric has not worked on daytime since Another World, and that was decades ago.

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

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To throw him in with the wolves and have him do the legal jargon page after page, that is hard enough to do for even a veteran because it’s like Shakespeare.  It’s stilted language.   To then move at the pace of daytime, I was sympathetic to his case.  I remember my first two days at Y&R, where I had massive monologues one after another.  It can be overwhelming, but what I noticed about Eric is he kept a great sense of humor about the fact that he has so much to do right away.  That guy rolls with the punches.

MICHAEL:

Will Eric return after finishing his stint in Dr. Drew’s, Celebrity rehab?

MICHAL MUHNEY:

I believe so.  I found out about Celeb Rehab like most people online, and since then, I have not asked any questions such as if he is coming back or not.  But my guess is he would be back because they really like his work on the show, as do I.

MICHAEL:

So maybe there can be a Y&R spin-off… The Vance and Adam Show?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

Yes. We had Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello and now, Vance and Adam.

MICHAEL:

Vance is a very intriguing attorney.  Sharon Case (Sharon) said in a recent interview that Eric plays him brilliantly, maneuvering his witnesses just right.

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

When I read the part before he was cast, I thought to myself, “They are going to have to have someone who is going to have to really bring it.  You are going to have to find someone who is believable as a hot shot and a hot profile-case attorney.”  You have to have someone who can play someone who can lure the witnesses in, but then be powerful and aggressive when he needs to, but at the same time, have a charm that can command the jury who would hang on to his every word.  I think Eric does it brilliantly.

MICHAEL:

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What about the “kangaroo court” cabin scenes where the entire clan railroaded a deserving Adam, including: Victor, Nikki, Jack, Ashley, Sharon, Nick, etc?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

I enjoyed it.  What you had was people taking the law into their own hands, and people thinking they are above the law.  These people came together so they can call their shots, and to corner Adam.  For him, he had to endure that situation where in the same room, at the same time, people were calling you out at what you’ve done at the same time, or haven’t done.  It was quite cathartic for Sharon and Ashley to endure some of that.  I was happy with that because these characters all had to get on the page sometime.  To see them do it in a way where it was informal, and then in a courtroom, they all got their turn with him.  So now you have got folks who tampered with justice.  Did they ruin the case against Adam because of their tampering?  And, in the eye of the jury pool they could be guilty as well and short sighted on their opinion of Adam.  To condemn him the way they did, creates more problems.  Soap operas can’t solve people’s problems; they have to create more problems.

MICHAEL:

Does Adam really love Sharon?  Or, is he just desperately looking for someone or something to hold on to, because in his mind she is this one beautiful thing in his dark and nasty world?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

I think Adam knows that deep down in his heart that his pursuance of Sharon is not futile, and it’s not an obsession.  It’s also not a delusion, because he has been given enough from Sharon to know he is not imagining this in his head.  He knows things would have been a lot different if he had not taken her child to give to Ashley, which he feels terrible about.  He is caught in this situation where he has found true love, and when a deed got exposed everything got turned upside down.

MICHAEL:

Adam did everything he could to make sure Sharon was not going to be backed in to the corner on the stand, while Skye wanted Vance to quash her to pieces.  At this point, where is Adam with his relationship with Skye?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

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The meddling that Skye is doing is starting to eat away at Adam, and from the minute that Skye basically blackmailed him into this marriage of convenience, he has been resenting it.  Adam doesn’t respect the fact that she is using these opportunities on him.  He is well aware that he has used opportunities and people, and a bit of it is Karma, and it happens to all of us.   He put his foot down with regards to Sharon, of what he will or won’t let Skye do.  He is an Alpha and an aggressor, and that is why Victor may have some problems with Victor Jr., because he looks at him and he sees a young reflection of himself.

MICHAEL:

With Sharon on the stand, Adam is increasingly getting more and more upset.

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

His theme with Sharon is: “You do your thing girl.”  He said to her, “I will not have my lawyer stop you.  I will not let him attack you, and do not feel fearful that he will attack you.  I will not allow it.”  There are things Sharon and Ashley say up on the stand that were hard for Adam, because it made him relive memories of things he has done. 

MICHAEL:

Do you think “legal eagle” Rafe, ever truly got payback for Adam duping him into a sexual relationship, and lying to him about his sexuality?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

At the risk of taking Adam’s side, I think Rafe did get his payback.  Any two people that start to hook up, and one of them is lying for whatever reasons, you find out your being lied to or your being dumped.  And so you think, “You’re a jerk.  I am going to move on.  I am outta here.”   That happens everyday all over the world.  There is a relationship and one person is not being so forthcoming as to the reasons they are in that relationship.   That is my opinion.  Maybe it’s because it was same-sex that there was a lot of extra hype to it, but it’s the same scenario.

MICHAEL:

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But I think what made it twice as bad was that Adam preyed on this innocent gay man by seducing him, when he is not really gay after all, and that kind of duplicity really is not tolerated well by heterosexual or homosexual parts of society.

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

I think in my beliefs; there is nothing different to me in a man messing around with one woman, and then messing around with another woman on the side.  It’s the, “Who do you think you are?”  Playing the same-sex side of a relationship is inconsequential in the long run, I think.  For Adam, he thought, “Whether I sway that way personally… hey look, it was a job to do… an undercover sting operation.  I have to get inside this guy’s head, and play this part up to the hilt.  But, I am not bothered by it enough not to do it.”

MICHAEL:

You and I first talked over a year ago, when you just replaced Chris Engen. With every twist and turn that has happened since you took over the role as Adam, does it feel like it’s been that long, or like yesterday?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

Sometimes it feels like a few weeks ago, and sometimes it feels a lifetime has passed in my heart since I picked up this part.  I have learned so much.  I hope there is a day in the future for both Chris and me, that his name is not brought up anymore.  For me, I feel I have embodied and created a character now, along with Maria Bell’s (Y&R’s, head writer and co-executive producer) writing and guidance that developed him into an entirely different character.  Certainly like a new breed of Victor Newman, and to have done that and shed this skin of the preliminary blueprint phase of Adam that was played by Chris, I am proud.  And for Chris’ sake, that hopefully over time people will let it go and get past the situation that ensued with him.  To this day, I never met the guy.  I tried to stay out of what went down, and I have to respect decisions on all sides of things.  My dad said something to me years ago, “One man’s trash is another ones treasure.”  And so, I’ve just stepped into this and tried to make it a treasure.

MICHAEL:

Are you worried about the extinction of soap operas that many fear is just right around the corner?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

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I have talked to a lot people on the inside and researched into the decline of soaps.  I have to say, I am not worried about the final few soaps that will be the dinosaurs.  I think the internet will help change things for better and worse, and breathe new life into the soaps.  I think it will then level out for a while on network television, and years down the line more will spring from that.  Soaps are far from dead… certainly not when I walk around anywhere outside of L.A.   I come to realize how many people stop me, and how many people are involved in their soap operas.  I expected someone to throw a drink on me, or someone to scold me from afar, but it has not happened!  I have been blown away how 100% of every single person has said amazing things, such as, “Boy, are you bad!  But I love it.  I’ve got to tune-in the next day, and the next.”  If you want drama, mischief, and to see the dark side of people, then you like and relish tuning into soap operas.

MICHAEL:

You are very close with Stacy Haiduk (Ex-Patty/Emily) and the scenes between Adam and Patty were some of the most delicious to watch.  How do you feel about her departure from the show?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

I love Stacy.  I am fond of her… She is a doll.   Her portrayal of Patty was phenomenal and she was so dedicated to it.  I don’t think it’s a slam on Stacy, or her character, that it came to an end for her.  I think that everybody from the top brass to anyone who she worked with would say she did that character justice.

MICHAEL:

How many air vents did you crawl through as Adam, particularly to get to Patty? (Laughs)

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

Apparently, one too many times! (Laughs)  I feel like Adam has to find his ending by crawling through so much hell, both literally and figuratively, to come out on top in order to come out on the other side.   The necessary function was for him to mess with Patty, as Adam wanted to take the heat off of himself for being the main suspect in killing Richard Hightower.  At the same time for me, I was sad that Patty’s departure from Genoa City was a result of Adam; as he was the one to send her off.  I was both honored to do that and be with her at that last moment.  I think I gave her a long hug after our last scene. 

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MICHAEL:

Your one-year contract was up awhile back and there were some tenuous times when the audience did not know whether you were returning, or what the show had planned.  But to me, it seemed like all along you were coming back.  What went down with the contract negotiations that you can clarify?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

After my one-year contract was up, I knew there was talk about the new contract.  There was always a plan that Adam would, in theory, come back.  I knew what the show wanted from me, and negotiations can be dropped and go the other way at any time. I had emotionally said goodbye to the show.  I had said my goodbyes and had received parting gifts from cast members of the show, and things that they did for me were so touching.  When the formal talks began, for a little window of time there, I walked away.  And, then I went to have a talk with Maria.  My goal was to sit down with her, and in the end say, “Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to breathe life into this character, and I respect you.”  And within an hour and half time, I stood up and said, “Ok, let’s do this. Let’s go to work.”  She worked her magic.  She and Sharon Case both were working on me a couple weeks up to that meeting with Maria.  After that meeting I said I am just going to look long-term with this character.  It’s one of those ultimate roles for an actor that I am getting the chance to play.

MICHAEL:

I want to throw out the names of some of your co-stars and get your immediate thoughts on them.  Let’s start with Sharon Case.

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

Sharon is stoic and strong.  She is seriously witty, and she is also really an understanding, forgiving, and tolerant person who I have grown to respect as a woman.

MICHAEL:

You seem to be smattered all over the press dancing together in Vegas.  Is Sharon a good dancer?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

She is a goofy dancer!  And you can’t help but laugh and have a good time.

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MICHAEL:

Ok, next up. Laura Stone (Skye)?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

Very classy, and a true Canadian at heart, and a kind person.

MICHAEL:

Joshua Morrow (Nick)?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

I am surprised at myself how much I like the guy.  He is a sweetheart and as funny as you can be.  He has been really generous with me.

MICHAEL:

Eric Braeden?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

Turned into a friend… to a degree, has been a father figure, and a mentor, and a peer of mine.  We really enjoy talking with each other about the behind-the-scenes stuff, and breaking things down, and what we think about storyline and our characters.

MICHAEL

What did you think of the news that ATWT’s Maura West is coming to Y&R as Diane Jenkins?  Would you like to play in the Genoa City Sandbox with this two-time Daytime Emmy winner?  I kind of would love to see that!

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

I am game for Adam mixing it up with anybody.  I say “congrats” to her from moving from one big soap to another, and moving into a role that is going to cause some media friction for the folks in Genoa City.  I am not sure our paths will ever cross, though.  I am glad most times for anybody to get work, period.   People don’t realize how tough it is for actors.  When fans so flippantly say, “I hope they write off that character.  That character needs to die.”  They are actually wishing a human being is put out of work, and in this environment, you cannot wish that on anybody.

MICHAEL:

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In closing, what should we say to everyone to get ready for; when Friday’s big Adam episode is aired?

MICHAEL MUHNEY:

I would say, be ready to take in every moment because you cannot miss a beat with this upcoming episode.  There is so much subtlety, innuendo and nuanced things that are going to shed just enough light to make your question marks, even bigger question marks… and more powerful ones.  The only answers you will get are within yourself and the judgments you make from watching that episode.  I sent an email to Maria after I read this particular script.  I said, “I have two words for you: inspired and haunting.”