Who Played Ryan McNeil on ‘Young and the Restless’ and What Happened to Him?

Young and the Restless classic episodes bring back old characters like Ryan McNeil, sparking questions about the past. Fans want to know more about Ryan, who played, him, and what his fate was on Y&R. Take a look.

Who played Ryan McNeil on Young and the Restless?

Handsome Scott Reeves played the role of Ryan McNeil for a decade, from 1991 until 2001. Plus, he’s married to soap actress Melissa Reeves (Jennifer Horton, Days of our Lives). Soap fans might also remember him from General Hospital, where he played Steve Webber from 2009-2013.

He also did a stint on prime time soap Nashville for a couple of years. In addition to acting, Scott Reeves is an accomplished musician. After his time as Ryan on Young and the Restless, Reeves moved to GH. While there, he formed a band, Port Chuck, with castmates Bradford Anderson and Steve Burton (AKA Y&R’s Dylan McAvoy).

In the group, Scott sings and plays guitar in the band. That wasn’t something he was known for on Young and the Restless. Instead, his character, Ryan McNeil, was a business success who climbed his way up the corporate ladder at Newman Enterprises.

What Happened to Scott Reeves’ Character on Y&R?

If you’re wondering how Ryan left Young and the Restless, it was in a coffin. Ryan took a bullet for the woman he loved, Victoria Newman (then-Heather Tom). But how did Ryan McNeil’s life take such a dark turn on the CBS soap? Here’s a quick summary.

Way back in the day, Ryan met Victoria while both worked in the mailroom at Newman Enterprises on Young and the Restless. Victoria crushed on Ryan, who was a few years older than her. Of course, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) did all he could do end the romance.

In the end, he bedded Victoria, but it went badly. Then, he moved on to Nina Webster (Tricia Cast) but then bounced back to Victoria and married her on Young and the Restless. In the end, it was his other lover, Tricia Dennison (Sabryn Genet), who accidentally shot him.

How Did Ryan Die on Young and the Restless?

Ryan had three women in his life that he romanced – Victoria, Nina, and Tricia. He married Victoria first, then Nina. Then, Ryan McNeil met very young Tricia while hitched to Nina. He divorced Nina, married Tricia, who then got pregnant on purpose, but miscarried.

After that, Tricia had a breakdown on Young and the Restless and went off the deep end. Later, when Ryan McNeil was to remarry Victoria, she locked her in a closet and walked down the aisle in her place. A confrontation at the altar led to gunfire.

Then, Ryan took the bullet meant for Victoria. He died on Young and the Restless two days later after saving Victoria’s life. That was the last CBS soap fans saw of Ryan McNeil, who died a hero. This complicated, handsome character was an engaging cast member who’s now gone.

Keep watching the Young and the Restless classic episodes and stay tuned at Soap Dirt to see when they’ll resume filming.