The Young and the Restless star Eric Braeden was thrilled to meet up with Nadia Comaneci on March 9 at the 11th Annual Gold Meets Golden event in Los Angeles. As many longtime Y&R fans know, Comaneci made the soap's theme song famous nearly 50 years ago.
Since 1973, the haunting piano tones of Y&R's theme song have told fans that drama is on the way, but in 1976, ABC sports used the music for a montage of fourteen-year-old Comaneci's gymnastics routines from the Summer Olympics that year. Later that year, CBS used the tune for a documentary about the gymnast called Nadia -- From Romania with Love.
Written by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. two years before Y&R ever premiered, the tune was first used in the movie Bless the Beasts and the Children. After Comaneci became associated with the music, it became known as "Nadia's Theme" and is still used as Y&R's opener and closer to this day.
Braeden took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share snaps of his time with Comaneci and was beaming with pride. In one photo, he was also with Olympic champion Michael Johnson.
"Nadia COMANICE and Michael Johnson!" he tweeted. "She won 7 gold medals in 1976 and he won the 400 meters in 1992!"
Nadia Comaneci and Michael Johnson! She won 7 gold medals in 1976 and he won the 400 meters in 1992! pic.twitter.com/DPOSskCMaI
ó Eric Braeden (@EBraeden) March 9, 2024
In another pic with just Comaneci, he wrote, "With Nadia, whose record of 7 golds at age 14 is unparalleled."
With Nadia whose record of 7 golds at age 14 is unparalleled! pic.twitter.com/7EJ9RTGRNK
ó Eric Braeden (@EBraeden) March 9, 2024
This wasn't the first time that Braeden and Comaneci met. In 2005, she was on hand to celebrate Braeden's 25th anniversary bringing the Great Victor Newman to life.
What do you think? Does Y&R's theme music still get you every time? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
