‘The Young and the Restless’: Every Actor Who Has Played Kyle Abbott

Soap operas often take several liberties to further their storylines. The Young and The Restless has been on the air for decades, and to ensure continuity, different actors have had to play one role.

Over the years, several actors have stepped into the role of Diane Jenkins‘ son Kyle Abbott. Here is a look at every actor who has brought Kyle to life on Y&R.

A brief history of Kyle Abbott

Kyle’s mother has a sordid history in Genoa City. Diane always wanted to have a child with Victor, but since he got a vasectomy, she couldn’t conceive with him. When she learned about his frozen sperm, Diane took it upon herself to try and get them inseminated. Still, Nikki switched the sample with Jack Abbott’s, resulting in Kyle Abbott, formerly Christian Victor Newman.

Diane never knew about the switch and went on believing that Kyle was Victor’s son until a DNA test proved otherwise.

Kyle has two deceased brothers: John Abbott III and Keemo Volien Abbott, who died earlier this year, and whose daughter Diane used to get closer to Jack.

Kyle was born in 1990 and was revealed to have fathered a son with the disgraced socialite Tara Locke. Their son Harrison Locke now lives with Kyle and Summer, who has become his second mother. Kyle and Summer got married off-screen in Italy after years of on-again-off-again dating.

Michael Mealor (2018-2021; 2022-present)

Out of all the actors who’ve played Kyle, Mealor is perhaps the most beloved. The actor took on the role in March 2018 and played the young Abbott throughout the years until August 2021, when it was announced that he would be exiting the role. The news came after contract negations fell through.

Mealor exited the role alongside his co-star, Hunter King, who played Summer Newman. The couple’s exit was planned as them moving to Italy after Summer landed a cushy job as a handbag designer.

A few days after their departure, Y&R announced that Mealor and King would return briefly, making a cameo from October 12 to 15, for Victoria Newman’s wedding to Ashland Locke. Mealor returned on March 15 for a guest appearance; less than a fortnight later, he was confirmed to return in a long-term capacity.

Lachlan Buchanan (2015-2016)

Mealor is the longest-running Kyle on the show. However, before he began playing Summer Newman’s husband, Lachlan Buchanan held the baton from 2015 until 2016. Buchanan made his Kyle debut in February 2016, but by October that year, rumors began swirling that he was fired from the show.

A Y&R rep refuted the rumors, noting that Buchanan had only been bumped down to a recurring role. Buchanan appeared in a few more episodes before leaving the show. His final episode aired on April 2016.

Hartley Sawyer (2013- 2014)

Buchanan took over from Hartley Sawyer, who was cast in the role in March 2013. The actor made his debut as Kyle on April 24, 2013. He, too, didn’t last long on the role, as in December of that year, news broke that he would be leaving his short-lived tenure as Kyle. Sawyer’s final episode aired on January 27, 2014.

Blake Hood (2012-2013)

Blake Hood was the first actor to play Kyle when the writers rapidly aged the character in 2012. Hood debuted as Kyle on April 27, 2021, but a year into the role, the actor was dropped from the show, with Sawyer replacing him, according to Soap Opera Network.

Garrett Ryan (2010- 2012)

Garrett Ryan began playing Kyle in February 2010, and while he left after only two episodes, he returned less than a year later in a recurring capacity in October 2010. Ryan stayed with the series until January 2012, according to IMDb.