What Happened to Malcolm on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS
It’s been a while since Malcolm Winters has been on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS, so it’s understandable if fans might need a bit of a refresher on the guy’s tumultuous history in Genoa City. The character first appeared back in May of 1994 and was played by Shemar Moore until 2005. Malcolm returned to Y&R in 2009 for a couple of years and was played by Darius McCrary, but when Neil’s brother returned for a brief guest appearance in 2014, Moore had reclaimed his role. He appeared in some special episodes in 2019 paying tribute to Kristoff St. John (Neil), and it was announced that Moore would reprise the role again in May 2023 as part of Y&R’s 50th-anniversary celebration.
Malcolm arrived in Genoa City looking to get to know his estranged brother, Neil Winters. Initially resistant, Neil eventually gave his rebellious younger brother a second chance. Malcolm worked as a photographer and was immediately smitten with Drucilla Barber, though she ended up marrying Neil. When Malcolm found Dru after she’d taken a great deal of cold medicine, she mistook him for Neil and they had sex. The next morning, Malcolm was overwhelmed with guilt for taking advantage of her. Dru gave birth to a daughter, Lily Winters, and believing Neil to be her father, forgave Malcolm. He then fell in love with Keesha Monroe, and they were married shortly before she passed away from AIDS.
Malcolm next found himself drawn to Olivia Barber and became attached to her son, Nate Hastings, Jr. Olivia became his wife, but when Malcolm’s ex, Callie Rogers, showed up in Genoa City, her extreme jealousy tore their marriage apart. Malcolm rebounded with Callie, but after they became engaged, she left town. Though divorced from Olivia, Malcolm continued to treat Nate like his son. The brothers soon found themselves both interested in the same woman again, this time attorney Alex Perez. She married Malcolm but had feelings for Neil. After catching her with his brother, Malcolm went on assignment in Kenya where he was presumed dead in a bridge collapse.
Two years later, in 2004, Malcolm turned up alive and resented Neil for not doing enough to rescue him in Kenya. Eventually, the brothers made peace and Malcolm had a fling with Adrienne Markham. He also demanded that Dru take a paternity test to determine who Lily’s real father is, but when the test proved Malcolm to be the babydaddy, he and Drew agreed to keep the truth from Neil. Still, after Malcolm left town, Neil found out anyway!
Malcolm returned to Genoa City in 2009 working undercover as a corporate spy for Tucker McCall. Learning Lily had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, he tried to support his daughter but clashed with Neil. Thankfully, the siblings once again buried the hatchet. Malcolm took a job as a photographer for Restless Style magazine and hired his adopted nephew, Devon Hamilton, as his assistant. He’d mentioned he was engaged, and ultimately his fiancé, Sofia Dupre, arrived in town to join him. When he broke it off with her due to her lies, Sofia found comfort — and sex — with Neil, winding up pregnant. When Neil was proven to be Baby Moses’ father, Malcolm was crushed and divorced Sofia before leaving town.
In 2014, Malcolm paid another visit to Genoa City to patch things up with Neil and help his brother cope with his blindness. And in 2019, he came home once more to say a final farewell to Neil along with the rest of his family and loved ones after his unexpected death.
