Before she was sipping chardonnay on Wisteria Lane or directing feature films, Eva Longoria was terrorizing the residents of Genoa City. Honestly, it’s one of those "I forgot she was in that" moments for a lot of casual fans. But if you were glued to the screen in the early 2000s, you know her stint as Isabella Braña on The Young and the Restless was anything but a background role. It was chaotic. It was messy. And it was exactly the kind of "nutjob" performance (as TV Guide’s Michael Logan put it) that proves soap operas are the ultimate boot camp for Hollywood royalty.
She wasn't just a guest star. Eva Longoria was a series regular from 2001 to 2003.
The Isabella Braña Era: More Than Just a "Crazy" Ex
Most people think Longoria just popped in for a few episodes. Wrong. She was the primary antagonist for one of the show's biggest power couples: Paul Williams and Christine "Cricket" Blair.
The writers brought Isabella in on March 8, 2001, basically as a tactical replacement. Lauralee Bell (who played Christine) was going on maternity leave, so the show needed a new foil. Enter Isabella. She started as a favor for the scheming Michael Baldwin—a classic soap trope—intended to distract Paul. But things got dark fast.
Isabella wasn't just a "mean girl." She was written as deeply unstable. She ended up having an affair with Paul, getting pregnant, and giving birth to their son, Ricky Williams. If you think the drama ended with the baby's birth, you clearly don't know soaps. Isabella eventually faked her own death, framed Christine for the "murder," and then tried to drown Christine in a bathtub.
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It was peak daytime TV.
The Hustle You Didn't See
Here is a bit of trivia that kills me: Eva Longoria was actually working a "real" job while starring on the show.
In interviews, she’s been super candid about the fact that she was a corporate headhunter during her first two years on The Young and the Restless. She would literally be in her dressing room, in full Isabella hair and makeup, cold-calling people to place them in executive jobs.
"I was a headhunter while I was on The Young and the Restless. I was doing it out of my dressing room," she told Entertainment Weekly.
She didn't quit the day job until she was sure acting could pay the bills. That kind of pragmatism is rare in Hollywood, but it explains why she's such a powerhouse producer now. She’s always had a head for business.
Why the Role Still Matters in 2026
You might wonder why we’re still talking about a character who was shipped off to a psychiatric hospital in August 2003.
First, the character of Ricky Williams (her son) came back as an adult years later and was just as unhinged as his mother—proving that the "bad seed" storylines in Genoa City have long memories. But more importantly, Isabella Braña was the role that earned Longoria her first major hardware: an ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama in 2002.
It also highlights the "Soap-to-Stardom" pipeline that used to be so prevalent. Longoria joins the ranks of Shemar Moore, Justin Hartley, and even Demi Moore—actors who used the high-volume, high-pressure environment of daytime soaps to sharpen their craft.
A Quick Reality Check on the Plot
- Arrival: March 2001.
- The Big Scandal: Having an affair with Paul Williams while he was still hung up on "Cricket."
- The Exit: Attempted murder via bathtub in 2003.
- Current Status: Isabella is technically still alive in the Y&R universe, tucked away in a mental health facility in Los Angeles.
The Longoria Legacy in Daytime
Kinda wild to think about, right? The woman who now directs movies like Flamin' Hot and stars in Only Murders in the Building (shoutout to her 2025 SAG win for that ensemble!) started out by trying to drown a soap legend.
If you're a fan of the show, you know that The Young and the Restless loves a good comeback. While it’s highly unlikely Eva Longoria would return to the role—she's a little busy being a global icon—the show did use a "faceless" actress for a brief Isabella cameo in 2012.
The lesson here? Never underestimate a soap actress. They’re usually doing three times the work for half the credit, and if they’re like Eva, they might just be running a side business from their trailer while they do it.
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Actionable Insights for Fans:
If you want to revisit the Isabella era, your best bet is hunting for clips on YouTube or checking Paramount+ for "classic" episode collections. Most fans focus on her 2003 exit because the bathtub scene is legendary for all the wrong (and right) reasons. If you're looking to break into the industry yourself, take a page out of Eva’s book: keep the day job until the dream pays the rent.