The actors both made their “Y&R” debuts in 1994, with Moore last making a special appearance in 2023 and Fox departing in 1995.

Shemar Moore and Vivica A. Fox return to Young and the Restless for a ‘shocking’ storyline

The actors both made their "Y&R" debuts in 1994, with Moore last making a special appearance in 2023 and Fox departing in 1995.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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February 17, 2026 5:14 p.m. ET

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Shemar Moore and Vivica A. Fox. Credit:

Paul Archuleta/Getty; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

- Shemar Moore and Vivica A. Fox are returning to *The Young and the Restless*, after both debuting on the CBS soap in 1994.

- Fox starred as Dr. Stephanie Simmons until 1995, while Moore's run as photographer Malcolm Winters ran through 2005, and he's reprised the character several times since.

- Stephanie and Malcolm were briefly romantically involved in a 1995 storyline.

Two of *The Young and the Restless*' best and brightest are coming home.

Shemar Moore and Vivica A. Fox are both returning to the long-running CBS soap as the characters they originated in 1994. The veteran actors are set for a multi-episode story arc to air in April, which begins taping Tuesday. Their return will have "shocking and lasting implications for the residents of Genoa City," according to a press release.**

Moore became an integral part of the daytime drama across his 11-year stint as the suave photographer-turned-spy Malcolm Winters. He made several special appearances following his 2005 departure, most recently in 2023 on the occasion of the series' 50th-anniversary celebration. Fox, however, left after a single year, calling it a wrap for her Dr. Stephanie Simmons.

Shemar Moore and Vivica A. Fox on 'The Young and the Restless' in 1995.

In Fox's final months on the show, her and Moore's characters were actually set up by the mother of Malcolm's child, Drucilla Barber (Victoria Rowell), who was eager to get him off her back due to her relationship with Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John), Malcolm's half-brother.

Stephanie and Malcolm's relationship petered out relatively quickly, after the diligent doctor realized the hotshot party boy wasn't likely to slow his pace to meet hers.**

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Before Moore returned to *Y&R* to honor the show's legacy after a half-century on the air, he stopped by the set in 2019 to pay tribute to St. John, who died that year at 52.

Then in 2023, when he returned for the anniversary, he shouted out Neil again, telling his daughter Lily (Christel Khalil), nephew Devon (Bryton James), and stepson Nate (Sean Dominic) that "when it came to the great Neil Winters, I show up. Whatever it takes."

Shemar Moore on 'The Young and The Restless' in 2023.

In the wake of St. John's unexpected death, Moore also released a touching statement testifying to the actor's impact on his life and career.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

"I'm raised an only child, but Kristoff is truly the closest thing to a brother and a brother's love and a brother's mentorship that I've ever known," he said at the time. "If he hadn't embraced me, I would have never got my sure footing in the beginning days."**

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Source: “EW Soap”