Shemar Moore Opens up About Returning to Y&R

With S.W.A.T. winding up its 7th and possibly final season on CBS, star Shemar Moore could be soon looking for his next gig. And many of his fans would love nothing more than to see the actor back on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS as Malcolm. But is that even a possibility at this point?

“In 30 years, the longest I’ve gone unemployed is four months,” Moore confided to First for Women. “At whatever level, I stayed in the game, hustling. If Y&R called me today, I would go. If CRIMINAL MINDS asked me to come back, I’d go. Because you never forget where you came from. It sounds cliche and maybe cheesy, but it’s also true.”

Moore got his big break when he joined the cast of Y&R as Malcolm Winters in May 1994 and earned three Daytime Emmy Award nominations during his time on the soap, taking home the trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2000. After his exit in 2005, the role was recast with Darius McCrary from 2009-11, but since then, Moore has been the one reprising the role for guest appearances. The last was in May 2023 for Y&R’s 50th-anniversary celebration.

However, while Moore might be happy to play Malcolm again in the future, a lengthy stay in Genoa City seems unlikely. “Now… when I’m unemployed, you might get me on Y&R a little longer,” he confessed. “But will I go back for a contract? No, probably not. Because if this is indeed the end of S.W.A.T., I want to continue to grow and evolve. There’s a lot in me that people don’t know that I’m capable of. I know it’s in me, but I got to dig deep to bring it out.”

Sadly, that would also seem to preclude Moore from joining the cast of the currently in-development CBS soap THE GATES. But whether S.W.A.T. gets picked up for season eight or Moore lands another series or movie role, we’ll be sure to let you know!