For more than three decades, Peter Bergman has been a cornerstone of American daytime television. As Jack Abbott on The Young and the Restless, Bergman brought gravity, intelligence, and vulnerability to a character who has faced it all—corporate takeovers, broken hearts, family feuds, and moral crises. Now, in a groundbreaking career twist, Bergman is stepping into a vastly different world: a dystopian sci-fi series on Apple TV+ from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan.

The project, titled Pluribus, has already become one of the most talked-about upcoming series of 2025. But here’s the shocking—and thrilling—reveal: Bergman is not leaving Genoa City. The actor has confirmed he will continue portraying Jack Abbott on Y&R while taking on a major role in Gilligan’s bold, genre-defying new series.

This isn’t a goodbye. It’s a dual legacy. A crossover of prestige and passion. And it may very well redefine how daytime actors are viewed in the golden age of television.

A New Chapter for a Soap Icon

Peter Bergman has spent over 35 years giving life to Jack Abbott, navigating the Abbott family’s endless turmoil with a mix of charm and gravitas that few daytime performers can match. He joined The Young and the Restless in 1989, following a successful run on All My Children, and has since become synonymous with integrity and emotional depth on-screen.

And yet, despite the magnitude of this new role, Bergman’s heart remains rooted in Y&R. According to representatives, his filming schedule for Pluribus will be carefully coordinated to ensure he continues appearing on the CBS daytime drama without interruption.

This alone is a rare feat. Soap actors rarely get the chance—or the industry recognition—to cross into prestige streaming dramas without being forced to exit their roles. Bergman is breaking that mold.

Inside Pluribus: A Chilling Vision of Euphoria

Pluribus, helmed by Vince Gilligan, is a sci-fi psychological thriller with a premise as thought-provoking as it is disturbing. Set in the near future, the series explores a world transformed by a mysterious virus that infects people not with disease, but with unrelenting happiness.

Those exposed become euphoric, compliant, and blissfully detached from pain, sorrow, or fear. On the surface, it’s a utopia. But beneath it? A terrifying illusion.

The protagonist, Carol Sturka—played by the brilliant Rhea Seehorn, Emmy-nominated for her role as Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul—is a novelist and the only person seemingly immune to the virus. As the rest of the world slips into engineered joy, Carol remains tethered to grief, doubt, and reality.

Her immunity makes her a threat. And it’s here that Peter Bergman’s role enters the picture—with chilling, powerful implications.

Peter Bergman’s Role: The Architect of Bliss?

Though Apple TV+ has kept specific plot details tightly under wraps, sources close to the production—and an electrifying trailer released last week—suggest that Bergman plays the President of the United States or a similarly high-ranking authority figure in this new euphoric order.

In the trailer, Bergman’s commanding voice echoes over haunting imagery of smiling citizens, bright cityscapes, and artificially cheerful propaganda. He says, “We cannot allow sorrow to exist. We have come too far to go back.”

It’s not the voice of a villain—but of a true believer. Someone who views pain as a threat to global stability and who sees Carol’s emotional authenticity as dangerous. His character appears poised to become both oppressor and savior, a man who sees forced happiness not as tyranny—but as mercy.

And few actors are more qualified to walk that moral tightrope than Peter Bergman.

Jack Abbott and Pluribus: Two Worlds, One Actor

Bergman’s portrayal of Jack Abbott has always revolved around moral ambiguity. Jack is a man who wants to do the right thing, but often chooses the wrong way. Whether battling Victor Newman in business, rebuilding relationships with his children, or navigating his tumultuous love life, Jack is never simple. He’s authentically flawed, and that’s what makes him human.

In Pluribus, Bergman brings those same tools to a darker, more philosophical landscape. What happens when emotions are outlawed, and sorrow is seen as a threat? His character may become the face of a society that has chosen comfort over truth—and he may be the very force trying to erase what makes people truly human.

This contrast between Genoa City and the world of Pluribus is not just thematic—it’s symbolic. It highlights the growing collapse of boundaries between daytime drama and prestige streaming, and how a master of one form can seamlessly step into the other.

Industry Impact: Soap Legends Enter the Prestige Era

Bergman’s leap into Pluribus also marks a larger shift in the entertainment industry—one where long-running soap actors are finally getting their due in mainstream prestige television.

For too long, soap performers have been dismissed as melodramatic or one-dimensional. But the truth is, actors like Bergman perform emotionally rich material at a pace and intensity that few prime-time stars ever face. His casting in Pluribus is a vindication of that craft and a sign that Hollywood is finally waking up to the well of talent that daytime has nurtured for decades.

Fans of both Y&R and sci-fi television are taking notice. “Jack Abbott in a Vince Gilligan series? That’s the crossover I never knew I needed,” one fan posted on social media. Another wrote, “Peter Bergman has always had gravitas. Now the rest of the world gets to see it.”

The Philosophical Core: Can Joy Be a Prison?

Pluribus dares to ask hard questions. What does it mean to be human if we remove pain? Can happiness exist without sorrow? Is a world without grief still a world worth living in?

These aren’t just sci-fi tropes—they’re questions that echo throughout Bergman’s soap opera legacy. As Jack Abbott, he has fought for redemption, identity, and love in a world that constantly tests his humanity. Now, as a character presiding over an artificially joyful society, Bergman will explore those same tensions—but on a global scale.

He’s no longer fighting over boardrooms or family secrets. He’s grappling with the soul of a society.

The Trailer: First Glimpse of a New Icon

The first trailer for Pluribus is a masterclass in controlled tension. It opens with serene cityscapes and smiling faces—but quickly gives way to a sense of unease. Children laugh too hard. Adults cheer too much. Billboards promise “Everlasting Joy.”

And then comes Peter Bergman’s voice—calm, commanding, unsettling. His face appears, seemingly benevolent, but with an unmistakable edge. He’s not Jack Abbott anymore. He’s something else. Something bigger.

Something scarier.

Final Thoughts: A Revolution in Storytelling

As The Young and the Restless continues its iconic run, Peter Bergman remains its heart. But in Pluribus, he becomes something new: a voice of control, of reason, of fear disguised as hope.

This dual role is not just a career milestone—it’s a cultural moment. It proves that talent doesn’t belong to one format, and that the emotional intelligence cultivated in soap operas is not only transferable—it’s essential in our most daring narratives.

With Pluribus premiering on November 7, fans are in for a once-in-a-generation performance—one that spans genres, challenges perceptions, and, above all, reminds us why Peter Bergman is a television legend.