Fans may be surprised to see a familiar face from the golden era of ’80s and ’90s daytime soaps suddenly appearing in the biggest show of the moment. Peter Bergman, a longtime star of The Young and the Restless, has a cameo in the record-breaking new Apple TV+ series Pluribus. The series, created by Vince Gilligan, the mastermind behind Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, arrived with enormous anticipation. But Apple has recently confirmed what early buzz suggested: Pluribus is officially the platform’s most successful new drama series debut ever.
The series has surpassed the already massive viewership numbers set by Severance season two earlier this year, a remarkable feat, and one that instantly cemented its place as Apple’s latest prestige hit. And right there in the opening episode is Peter, slipping seamlessly into a world of high-stakes sci-fi drama.
Peter’s appearance may be brief, but it’s undeniably important. Without giving away spoilers, he appears in the very first episode as a high-ranking White House official, delivering crucial narrative information directly to the show’s central character. It’s a sharp, authoritative moment that helps propel the series forward, exactly the kind of grounded, compelling presence Peter has perfected across decades in daytime television.
For longtime soap fans, seeing the actor they first knew as Cliff Warner on All My Children in the 1980s, and of course as Jack Abbott on The Young and the Restless since 1989, in a slick premium drama is pure delight. It’s also a reminder that daytime performers – so often overlooked by mainstream awards bodies – hold a deep well of skill, stamina, and screen presence.
But the story behind Peter’s casting in Pluribus might be even better than the cameo itself. As it turns out, the veteran soap star landed the role through a friendship that stretches back more than 40 years, and it involves one of television’s most famous fictional criminals – Bryan Cranston, who played Walter White on Breaking Bad.
“Bryan and I met each other on a softball field in Central Park when I was on All My Children and he was on Loving, and we have been friends since,” Peter said in an interview with TV Insider. “His wife, Robin, and my wife, Mariellen, are very dear friends, and we vacation together.”
Because Bryan later formed a creative partnership (and a deep friendship) with Vince Gilligan while making Breaking Bad, the connection eventually extended to Peter. When Vince began assembling the world of Pluribus, Peter was invited to star in the hit series.
“Vince texted me and said, ‘Hey, I have this thing coming up that I think you’d be perfect for.’ Peter said. “I said, ‘As long as it fits into my Y&R schedule, I’d love that.'” Peter received the script and quickly realized how tightly the project was being kept under wraps. “I had to sign an NDA, and it was a watermarked script and very secretive,” he added.
Paying tribute to his roles in the two daytime soaps, Peter said: “Both of these daytime jobs were something I was convinced I could make last for six months, and what it’s turned into is really something. I work as much as I did when I was 40. It’s going to be hard for you to find a more grateful actor out there.”
