Soap star Michael Muhney talks to AfterElton about Adam-Rafe storyline “The Young and the Restless”

In just a few short weeks. The Young and the Restless has become far more gay than its fellow CBS soap As the World Turns where Luke and Noah have had some silly storylines as of late. In addition to the return of Thom Bierdz as the now-gay Phillip Chancellor III, there has been the very casting change in the role of Adam now played by Michael Muhney.

Previously best known for his role as the sheriff on Veronica Mars,  the sexy Muhney began on the show a few weeks back just as Adam – who has always been straight – seduces gay character Rafe Torres (Yani Gellman) in order to protect a secret. The storyline is playing out now (see latest clip below) and Muhney has just been sensational. I was never a regular watcher of the show until now and he is a big reason why.

The actor is very thoughtful and articulate as you can see in a terrific interview he’s done with AfterElton.com. I’ll give you an appetizer with a few of his responses but there is lots more to the interview so do check it out!

AE: I just watched that scene again when you first seduce Rafe, and you ended up sleeping with him. Can you walk me through what was going through Adam’s mind at that moment?

MM: I think in a moment in which you’ve tried everything you can to verbally divert someone’s eyes from something you don’t want them to see or find, you’ve tried everything you can, and you realize you have to take it up a level.

I think Adam’s strength — and weakness — is that he feels he can dial in on anybody and figure out what makes them tick, and play to or against that, if he needs to. If it’s Ashley realizing that she might be fragile, he can play on her fears. If it’s Rafe, and knowing they are similar in age and knowing his sexual preference, he can use that information that can give him power in that situation.

Adam found himself in a situation where he was expressing himself to Rafe in way that he’s going to be able to divert him, before he realizes he’s going to have to follow through on what he’s advertising.

E: Do you and Yani get to discuss the scenes before hand, or have any rehearsal, and what did you talk about if you did?
MM: “Well, I told him I wanted to make out in his dressing room for a little while just to get all warmed up. [laughing] He didn’t know me very well at first, so I had explain that it was just an attempt at humor.

What I like about Yani is that he was very open to it. In this moment, he has to be the puppy dog that is being seduced. I say puppy dog, but he’s going to be this person who is vulnerable and he’s going to be more honest in that moment then of course Adam is being. The seducer is the aggressor and the alpha.

I told him physically, “There might be certain things I want to do, or if I want to approach you a certain way, are you comfortable with whatever it is I might throw your way.” He was completely wide open, which made for a great rehearsal process in the dressing room where we just kind of running through lines and feeling it out, walking it out the scenes leading up to it so there would be chemistry there leading up to the moment.

Then when we finally started, I think we were at a good full speed. I feel we put our best foot forward. I’m a perfectionist, so I’d like to take twenty-five takes of anything, but the take that we took, I was very pleased with.”

VIDEO BONUS: Here are the Adam-Rafe scenes from Wednesday’s show. It’s a real tour-de-force for Muhney whose first seen rehearsing how to “break up” with Rafe then we see his wheels constantly turning as Rafe confronts him about some of his lies. It’s so good!