Everything You Need to Know About Mac on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS
Now that she only appears occasionally in Genoa City, some newer fans might be wondering who is Mac on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS? The character of Mackenzie Browning was introduced back in 1999, and was played by Ashley Bashioum until 2002. She was then replaced with Kelly Kruger for a year, before returning for another stint. Rachel Kimsey then took over from 2005-06, followed by Clementine Ford from 2009-10. But when the character returned for Y&R’s 45th anniversary celebration, the role was once again played by Kruger. But who is Mac and what is her history in Genoa City? Here’s a brief rundown:
When Mac ran away from her home in St. Louis, she found herself befriending Katherine Chancellor in a local homeless shelter and learning that her father is actually Kay’s son, Brock Reynolds! Jill was annoyed when Katherine invited the girl to move into the Chancellor Estate and accused Mac of stealing. She was devastated to learn Brock was dead, but thankfully reports were wrong and she finally met her father. Although Mac was growing closer to Raul Guttierez, Billy Abbott was smitten with her and the two were voted prom king and queen. Because Jill didn’t approve, Billy and Mac had to date on the sly, but his mom eventually came around.
Katherine was awarded legal custody of Mac, so she had nothing to fear when her mother, Amanda, showed up in Genoa City. In fact, with Billy’s help, she and her mother were finally able to reconcile. Unfortunately, Billy and Mac eventually broke up when she wasn’t ready to have sex. But when Mac’s stepfather, Ralph, showed up and stalked Mac, Billy came to the rescue. After Billy decided to leave Genoa City, Mac decided to go to Northwestern University.
When Mac returned, she moved in with Raul and Brittany and accepted Billy’s marriage proposal. But then they learned that Billy’s mother, Jill, was Katherine’s daughter, making Billy and Mac cousins, so they quickly called it off and both left town again. When Mac returned, she started dating J.T. Hellstrom, and lost her virginity to him. However, she wasn’t in on Brittany and J.T.’s scheme to pretend that he’d fathered her baby, and was heartbroken. And worse, she was the one who had to help Brittany give birth to her baby prematurely at the Newman Ranch!
After J.T. confessed that it was all a lie to protect Brittany from the mob, Mac was still reluctant to trust him. But they moved into the loft apartment with Kevin and Scott, and Mac and Kevin began running Crimson Lights together. Mac later discovered she was pregnant with J.T.’s baby, but was afraid to tell him, and he didn’t learn the truth until after she’d miscarried. They broke up, and Mac decided to travel around the world to help the needy.
When Mac returned to Genoa City in 2009, Billy was marrying Chloe, but it was revealed that Jill was not Katherine’s daughter after all, so Mac and Billy were not related. Despite his new marriage, Billy continued to pursue Mac, who tried to resist temptation. When Raul returned, Mac revealed that they’d had a serious relationship in Africa. She even accepted his marriage proposal, but because of Billy, she began to doubt her future with Raul. Mac and Billy continued to see each other secretly until he called it quits with Chloe and they could go public.
Billy split up with Mac when she became Lily and Cane’s surrogate and carried the twins for them. After Billy married Victoria, Mac found herself drawn back to J.T., and she discovered she was pregnant with his child. He proposed, and although she initially turned him down, Mac changed her mind after he was nearly killed in a storm. They married and moved to Washington D.C. with his son, Reed. There, she gave birth to their son, Dylan, but J.T. later returned to Genoa City alone saying his marriage with Mac was on the rocks.
But when Mac returned for the Walnut Grove celebration in 2018, she revealed that she was filing for divorce and full custody of the kids because J.T. wasn’t the same man he used to be and had become emotionally abusive. She also feared Victoria could be falling into the same trap she did with him and wanted to keep that from happening.
After J.T. disappeared, Mac was determined to find out what had happened to him. When he was believed dead, she attended his memorial service, but it was later revealed that J.T. was really alive and plotting revenge on the women who believed they’d killed him.
Stay tuned to see if Mac returns to Genoa City again for another visit!
