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The Jacob Young Interview – The Bold and the Beautiful

Courtesy/CEG

It has been over eleven years since Daytime Emmy winner, Jacob Young, has appeared on his original daytime stomping grounds, The Bold and the Beautiful. Now, one of soaps favorite “bad boys”, (as the former JR Chandler of AMC), comes home to reprise the role of Rick Forrester! After all, who doesn’t remember all the twists and turns of the Rick and Amber relationship back in the day? In this new interview with On-Air On-Soaps, Jacob reveals “not so fast” about going back to revisit history, and that Rick has a lot to prove this time out!

Now as many longtime daytime fans know, Jacob just completed an amazing eight year as JR Chandler on All My Children. AMC had its network television conclusion on ABC last month on September 23rd. Shortly before that time, Jacob and B&B had announced that he struck a deal to come over to the international hit, and thus would not be continuing with AMC when it moves to the Internet in the early part of 2012 in its new home, The Online Network. Jacob fills us in on his difficult decision to leave Pine Valley, his thoughts on the controversial network TV finale which saw JR aiming a gun at the citizens of Pine Valley, and how he is ready to turn the page on life as a Chandler, and embrace life again as a key member of the Forrester clan.

We have always found Jacob to be one of the most endearing, honest, and refreshing actors to speak with in the genre. And so, On-Air On-Soaps is thrilled to bring this one-on-one chat with Jacob to you, as we welcome the original Rick home!

MICHAEL:

Jacob, you decided to come back to The Bold and the Beautiful instead of staying with All My Children with its move online. Why the decision to make such a BOLD move?

Courtesy/CBS

JACOB:

The issue with leaving AMC was about the uncertainty. Is there going to be a future? How serious are they about the online venture? How is it going to work? And I had just recently heard a rumor that they are actually moving all the sets out of the studio. Now I know with One Life to Live their team is signed and their people are pretty much ready and gung-ho. But I knew there was going to be a little resistance with AMC. Maybe it was a bit of foreshadowing, but with The Bold and the Beautiful it was my first job. So there is this sort of romanticism about my first break into Hollywood.

MICHAEL:

I remember interviewing you back in 1997-1998, when you were first at B&B. It seems so long ago, but look at where things are now! The old adage proves true, “Never say never”!

JACOB:

It has gone full circle. I am lucky to be one of the actors in a diminishing market to have some place to go, especially now with the way the economy, and jobs, and the uncertainty of our future, and the new great depression upon us. So, it’s nice to just be able to have a job and be a wanted.

MICHAEL:

Did you talk with Brad Bell, the executive producer and head writer of B&B, about story before you decided to sign on the dotted line? B&B has proven tricky sometimes when big name actors come to the show, because of the focus on main characters and that the show is only a half-hour long … so you can only pack so much story in that amount of time.

JACOB:

Courtesy/CBS

Thirty minutes certainly does not allow that much time for storytelling, but I said, “Brad, it really does not matter to me where you want to put me right now. I just want a chance to have everybody warm back up to him, and be worked into the story somewhere so people will start seeing Rick, and becoming use to and comfortable with me again.”

MICHAEL:

Seems like an excellent plan, so Rick is not shoved down the audiences throat!

JACOB:

Right. I have totally taken a different approach on this. The writers have caught on, or are just on the same page with me. Rick is going to stand up for what he believes in, but his approach is a little more tactful. He wants a fresh start. Now, obviously all those old rivalries will pick up and probably blow up in his face, but at least Rick is making efforts to try and mend relationships with the damage he did in the past.

MICHAEL:

You are not telling On-Air On-Soaps fans that you are going to be a complete good-guy are you? Soap fans have come love you as a badass! (Laughs)

JACOB:

(Laughs) I am sure there will be a time when I go straight for the throat. I know there will be that dichotomy with Thomas, because he is fighting for his position in the family. Rick is still a little older than him and wants to make sure he settles down a bit.

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Gilles Toucas

Do you ever look at Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke) and go, “You play my mother?”

JACOB:

Every day! (Laugh) She is my mother, but she is absolutely beautiful and dateable! She is more than dateable! I find myself stammering on myself when she is talking to me. She is being genuine and I am like, “Uh-Uh-Uh.” (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

And then John McCook (Eric) plays your dad! That must have been very cool for you to come back and get the opportunity to work with him again.

JACOB:

Well, I really bond with John on an almost a real father/son level. We always had that relationship even back in the days. He is the guy that takes everyone under his wing and makes everyone feel comfortable. If we could all aspire to be that kind of person and say, “hello” and embrace and hold and be friendly, I think the world would be a better place.

MICHAEL:

Rick finds out that his former flame, Amber, and Marcus had a child immediately upon arriving back on the scene!

JACOB:

Photo Credit: Gilles Toucas

Yes, that was right off the bat at the beginning of my return. Rick found that out, and he says to Marcus, “So, you and Amber are an item?” And Marcus tells him they are absolutely not together. And then there is some small talk and that opened up a little story arc that is happening with that. This was one of the things Brad and I talked about.

MICHAEL:

Do you think Rick would really forgive Amber for all she has done to him in the past?

JACOB:

I think he can forgive, but you never forget, and that I think is going to be the barrier. Amber is very supportive of Rick taking an active interest in the family.

MICHAEL:

In addition, Rick came back to town and instantly wanted to help Hope with her relationship mess with Liam.

JACOB:

Yes, absolutely. He wanted to help Hope. You see that caring side of Rick that was not there that much before. He really loves his sister. He wants her to be happy with Liam, because that’s what she wants. However, Rick thinks Liam is a dirt bag, but if his sister loves a dirt bag, then that is how it’s got to be. (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Getty Images

So if there is an open playing field for Rick Forrester, in terms of a romantic interest, who would you like to see him paired with on the canvas?

JACOB:

There are very few women on this show that are in my age range. Brad and I were talking a little bit about that. Maybe down the line we will recruit in someone new.

MICHAEL:

Yes! Maybe there was a woman from Rick’s past while he was away in Paris whom they need to bring in.

JACOB:

John McCook said maybe there was someone he met down in shipping and maybe she is someone who is European. That would make for an interesting storyline. We will see how the cards fall. Right now, he is really just trying to figure out if he wants to stay in town, or go back to work for the International Side of Forrester Creations.

MICHAEL:

Now Rick is going to get involved with Thorne and Taylor as they maneuver their takeover of Forrester Creations!

JACOB:

Yeah, it is sort of everyone coming together going, “OK. We have really got to make a run at this, because we are falling short as far as the fashion is concerned. We have got to put our heads together and rise above.” I think Rick’s intention is to work with Thorne and Taylor. Now it may be to stick it to the other Forresters, but I think it’s mainly about the competition and putting the brand back out there. Rick wants to be the guy to help bring that together.

MICHAEL:

What does he really do for Forrester? Do we know? Or, should we make it up? (Laughs)

JACOB:

Courtesy/ABC

(Laughs) He was running the international team from a business perspective, because Rick is not a designer, although they recently have hinted that maybe he is designing a little bit. And, I can’t draw and neither can Rick, apparently! (Laughs) I would say, Rick takes an active role internationally in sales and business, and works on some creative ideas. I think he agrees with Thorne and Taylor right now; that there has to be change and has to be a movement that happens that puts Forrester back on the map!

MICHAEL:

Will we see Ridge and Rick at odds again? Remember; while you were away from B&B there was that “balcony” drama story point.

JACOB:

Yes. absolutely. There is always this “tread lightly” kind of attitude between him and Ridge, because you know at any minute they could blow up at each other. Rick is trying to resolve that stuff and come in with a fresh slate.

MICHAEL:

OK, but would you say the fans should trust that?

JACOB:

No. Absolutely not! (Laughs) There is definitely a storm brewing.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

Let’s talk about the controversial ending of All My Children and the finale episode, which has been all the buzz for the last several weeks. There you were in the closet with a gun in the final episode. And the talk is, “Did JR shoot himself? Or did he shoot somebody?” What did you think about how it ended?

JACOB:

I will tell you this, the way they had written it was not the way they had edited it. It was definitely changed in the editing and I can tell you now. Originally, JR was supposed to unload a bunch of rounds of fire. He was basically going to take out everybody he was at odds with. And then, I got a change in the script like a day before the taping, saying that there is just going to be one shot fired. So then they taped the show with my gun out as if I was shooting somebody, and there was a billow of smoke and the whole thing. So it was definitely not JR that got shot. But now with this, they could change it that JR did kill himself, especially with editing. And actually, it was one of my ideas to begin with, where I said to them, maybe we should leave it to where maybe he killed himself.

MICHAEL:

What many are speculating is, since AMC already knew you had signed at B&B before the final episode was taped, that perhaps they changed the original scripted ending because they knew you were not continuing on with the online.

JACOB:

I was already in talks with B&B, but they did not know that. I don’t know how much that has to do with the decision of the ending, because they had written that before all of this happened. But keep in mind; JR still had that plane ready to fly out of town.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

Originally, ABC had been planning a two-hour finale for AMC, before it was going to continue online with Prospect Park. Did they shoot a second hour of the finale that is in the can, that would further explain what happened if that were to be put up online as the premiere episode?

JACOB:

No, unfortunately not. Now they could re-edit from that point of what we shot, where JR makes a run for it. I was not satisfied myself. I just think the ending was not clear enough. The gunshot sounded muffled and I felt like it should have rang out, but maybe if it was a close-range shot to himself… who knows? The Prospect Park team did come to me and make me an offer, and it was not the offer that I wanted. So I passed softly. But I just don’t see how the show will be the same if not everybody agrees. I know everybody is still emailing each other, and we have an email chain where we talk about the negotiations. So I have some insight on those things.

MICHAEL:

Talking with your former castmates, it would seem that most people on the outside truly don’t understand what they went through and the toll it took on them. The cast was moved from coast to coast, they were promised many things and were disappointed, and there were constant cancellation rumors. Right now, they don’t know who is going to be producing and writing the show …

JACOB:

…We had so many days cut back, and instead the network would air historical episodes. It was just not a good year for All My Children. We were hoping there would be enough momentum to carry us through another few years, but ABC pulled the plug. So absolutely, there is a lot to think about. Because you have to understand from the actor’s perspective if that could happen there, it could happen again with a new team as well. There is also consideration of where is all their funding coming from? How much are they going to be able to raise? How long will they keep it afloat? But, I can tell you personally for me and my career, to come to B&B was the right move. Regardless of the terms of how I left B&B years ago, Brad and I have a great relationship. He is one of those kinds of guys that I can just talk to about anything, and its vice-versa. With other executive producers, that is your boss, and you need to tiptoe a little bit. But with Brad, I can talk to him on a one-to-one level. So he is excited about it, and I am excited about it.

Courtesy/ABC

MICHAEL:

So, did you come in with a laundry list of storylines for Brad Bell to consider?

JACOB:

No, I really didn’t. I knew he was going to get cracking on it and wherever it’s going to land, it’s going to land. Then, it’s really up to me now to put the emphasis on particular scenes to help control things a little bit. And, that was always my intention with JR … which was to make him emulate and become more like his father, Adam Chandler, every day. And so by manifesting and bringing it into the story, the writers had nowhere else but to go there. But it was the best thing for JR.

MICHAEL:

Five-time Daytime Emmy winner, David Canary (Adam/Stuart Chandler) came back for the final week of All My Children. He was so riveting to watch, and every time he is on-screen he commands it! It must have been such a nice button on the AMC experience to have some final scenes with him.

JACOB:

David makes other actors, better actors. He is fantastic to watch. When I found he was coming back, I welled up with tears. I was just so excited to be able to see him. You spend so much time with somebody on such an intimate level, and it’s so cliché, but it becomes family. I will tell you this … every day David Canary would compliment me. He would say out loud to people, “You know, Jacob is very talented.” I am like, “David, are you serious? You should be looking at yourself!”

MICHAEL:

What did your castmates say to you when you decided to leave AMC and come to B&B? I know AMC creator, Agnes Nixon had some very choice, but humorous words for you on that.

Courtesy/ABC

JACOB:

They were all excited for me and they said it was the right move. They were happy that I was going to an internationally successful show. Michael Knight (Tad, AMC) called me right as the story broke. He said to me, “Jacob, are you going over to B&B?” And I go, “Yeah, and it’s hard for me to let people know.” And he said, “I am so happy for you. It is the right move for you.” So that felt good coming from my peers that they had the same sentiments.

MICHAEL:

In a way, there had to be some emotion tied to your decision to leave AMC. I am sure there were moments of it being a “hard call”. What will you miss most about playing JR?

JACOB:

A lot of people feel without the Chandlers what is All My Children? So I was tossing around new title ideas, “All My New Children.” (Laughs) Some of the things I will miss most about playing JR is what came out of his mouth, and even making him a homophobe at the end! (Laughs) I would read the scripts shocked, but also at the same time, this is who he is. I will miss his spontaneity and getting a bit vulgar. I mean, there was no edit button on him. As far as his drinking at the end, that storyline seems a bit recycled. I wish he would have recovered a bit from that and been a responsible drinker.

MICHAEL:

So are you good with putting JR to rest and moving foraward to play Rick on B&B?

Courtesy/ABC

JACOB:

The only thing I was upset about was the ending of AMC and how cryptic it was. I wish there was more of a through line on that. But, I do feel like a page has turned and not to be cliché, but it has. It is behind me now. It is weird for me to be back at B&B in the sense that it has been so long, and so much has happened in between. For myself, it is about the uncertainty within my abilities to rejuvenate Rick and bring it back. But at the same time, it is challenge and I love challenges. I have different days where I feel gung-ho and other days where I feel, “I hope this is the right place.” But this is natural, and with anytime in life that you make a change, there is that transition period. They say: uncertainty is what normally brings about the right decision.

MICHAEL:

You are scheduled to meet the fans at the end of October on the east coast in the personal appearance series, A Tribute to Pine Valley. How were you able to get time off to do that while you are taping another soap? What are you going to say to people when they come up to you at the fan events and tell you how much they miss JR, and you have some very emotionally-charged moments with them? Are you going to tell them to check you out on B&B?

JACOB:

Well, that is the thing. I told production I had this previous commitment. I said, “Here’s the deal. I think it’s important number one for AMC, because it’s only a core group of actors who are doing it. And secondly, if people don’t watch CBS and want to know what I am doing, I can absolutely plug in B&B. I can also tell them that B&B is only thirty minutes, and to help them make the transition to decide to watch it. It is hard to do, but I am always proud of the decisions I make, and hopefully the fans will feel that as well. And I think if they truly care about Jacob Young and are interested in following my next career move, they will do that. Some of the soap fans network hop anyway. It was interesting. I was at a Bold and Beautiful autograph signing, and I had not even aired yet on the series. A lot of fans I saw there were the fans I see at a lot of All My Children fan events. So I think fans will move around a little bit.

Courtesy/ABC

MICHAEL:

In closing, what do you want say to your fans, and fans of B&B, that they should be on the lookout for from your revitalized Rick Forrester?

JACOB:

He is going to surprise you. He is going to bring back the core of what Rick is about and stood for back when we first knew him, but with an edge, and without being a complete jerk. He is going to be fighting for his position in the family again. He has learned a lot while he has been away working for the international side, and he is ready to put his stamp on the company. I always say there is a big main difference between JR on All My Children and Rick on B&B. Rick has nothing to prove, he came from a loving family that cared about him, and he could always talk to them, whereas JR had nobody and especially at the end! It’s going to be a very exciting time for me and the viewers over at The Bold and the Beautiful that is for sure.

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This is great! I appreciate his candor. I think he made the right decision going back to B&B.

We’re with you Jacob! can’t wait to see the original new Rick in more action.

Jacob Young is the one and only Rick Forrester. So glad to see him back. I hope we will see less Liam and the youngsters and more about Eric, Stephanie and Rick.

this was fabulous. Thank you, Michael, for taking the time to interview Jacob. I always love his interviews, and I’m enjoying him as Rick.

jacob was very candid and most of all seemed very satisfied with his decision to go back to b&b –
this was the most down to earth interview i have read from an amc actor since the online ending of amc & maybe it’s because jacob has pretty much settled somewhere else……………i was already watching b&b because i followed don diamont there y&r – lol
thanks michael for posting this interview

thanks for the great interview.
I admire Jacob’s honesty and insightfulness and I look forward to seeing more of Rick in action on B&B.
´
jacob’s comments on AMC’s ending are very interesting. I wonder if he’s still working on the documentary that he was shooting about AMC’s last days?

I’m sure Jacob made the right decision for himself in returning to B&B. My only question is “WHY THE RESISTANCE WITH AMC?” Millions are waiting for AMC to start up in January and now there is a rumor that it won’t? Even PP can’t stick to their word!

Is AMC a go with PP or not? Jacob seems to be hinting that it is not.

in what part of this interview did jacob seem to be hinting that amc is not a go with prospect park?? are you referring to the section where he talked about where pp will be getting their funding & the amount of the funding??

Very first question. Why did Jacob decide to go back to B&B rather than stay with AMC. He made a few statements to make me think and everyone is already wondering what’s going on with PP. Two of the cast has resigned. Haven’t heard anything lately. Only dead silence!

Kinda in aw about it watched it for 40 years off and on. Hope they all have something to do like old suzan lucci. Maybe she can revamp the show? They come and go like the rest of us. Will miss the show though

Does anyone know about Young just signing a short contract with B&B and then going back over to PP for AMC?

I fell in love with Jacob as Lucky on GH, and really loved him as JR on AMC, I am so excited to have him back on B&B, since I missed him the first time as Rick, he is doing a great job back there, and made the right decision not to wait for AMC on the internet.

Thanks for this interview.

jacob young is one of the best actors ever , he could pass for brad pitts brother, i am an avid fan, good luck mr. young

Interviews

(WATCH) B&B’s Katherine Kelly Lang and Annika Noelle Talk Lead Actress Emmy Nominations and Brooke and Hope’s Mother/Daughter Relationship

Two of The Bold and the Beautiful’s leading ladies, Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke) and Annika Noelle (Hope), are in the running for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series at the upcoming 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

Original series star Lang, along with Noelle, play mother and daughter on the series, which makes for an interesting dynamic on-screen and off. For Katherine, this marks her fourth Daytime Emmy Acting nomination. She previously won a producer Emmy for Venice the Series, and for Annika, this is her first Lead Actress nomination after previously scoring a nod in the Supporting Actress category.

On B&B, Brooke and Hope have had a rocky road this past year, with Brooke disapproving of Hope giving into her feelings and desires for Thomas (Matthew Atkinson), and the dissolution of her marriage to Liam (Scott Clifton). Meanwhile, Hope watched Brooke have marital troubles with Ridge (Thorsten Kaye), in part to Taylor (Krista Allen), only for her to win him back.

Photo: HutchinsPhoto

The two actresses chatted with Michael Fairman for an exclusive livestream interview this week on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel where they shared their thoughts, reactions and scenes from their nominated reels, how they see the current climate between Brooke and Hope, and much more. Below are some excerpts from the conversation.

Katherine, what are your thoughts on getting a Lead Actress nomination as this point in your career?

KATHERINE: I think it’s great. I was so happy to be nominated. It was unexpected, but I was really happy about it.  Of course, I think everybody wants to be nominated, or get an Emmy at some point in their life, especially if they’ve been on a show for a very long time and you put a lot of work in. You do many, many scenes and hopefully, good enough scenes to be able to be nominated, and get in into the running. But yes, it’s hard to me. It’s hard every time when it comes around. I get anxiety whenever Emmy-time comes around.

Photo: JPI

What scenes were on both of your nominated reels?

KATHERINE: I just submitted the two back to back shows that I had between Brooke and Taylor (Krista Allen). It was when their relationship came to an end because they became friends, which was really nice. They swore off Ridge, which was great, and they had a nice relationship for a little while. But then, Brooke finally realized Taylor still had her sights on Ridge and this wasn’t going to work. So, she ended the relationship with Taylor. At that point, she really had it with Taylor, because she really trusted her and she really liked their friendship. She was shocked to find out what Taylor was still doing and how she still wanted Ridge in the end. And so for Brooke, there was no going back after that.

Photo: JPI

ANNIKA: My reel launched into Hope’s denial of “I’m nothing like you, mom. I have a solid marriage.” Cut to Liam confronting her about what happened in Rome and the choices that were made there. And then Brooke walking in on her and Thomas together and mother/daughter going toe to toe, and then finally kind of wrapping it up with Hope just coming into her own and just not being so swayed by other people’s choices.

Is it difficult for you to chose to enter into the Daytime Emmy race?

KATHERINE: I don’t want to do a competition, because we do this for a living, because we love it. I think if you don’t love it, you won’t be here for very long. So, it just feels weird in a way that it has to be a judging where everybody’s judged against each other.  I don’t like that feeling because I like it all to be about family, which it is. Sometimes in a competition it can get kind of of strange. So to me, the prize is just coming to work every single day, getting to work with wonderful people like Annika, everybody in the office, the producers, the writers, the directors, the crew, and just working with everybody. It’s wonderful how we all work so well together and just being able to do something that I love to do every single day and play this character of Brooke on a TV show on CBS.

ANNIKA: I would have never thought in a million years you would get anxious from it. For me, it’s very obvious that I get very anxious.

Photo: JPI

Katherine, what do you recall about Annika when you first met her and then shared scenes with her, after having Kim Matula as her predecessor in the part?

KATHERINE: Honestly, it was super easy to work with Annika. She just fell right into the character. I loved her immediately and her energy. Actually, I got to read with her. I loved her, even then in the reading. I was kind of mesmerized with her, like her eyes. She’s very innocent, open face, and you can feel her. I loved Kim Matula, too, who played Hope before Annika, and there was a little time between them. It was nice that they didn’t recast somebody right away, because that’s always kind of shocking. You want to give it a little time, and for the audience to accept it and to find somebody new and bring them on. People come and go andyou have to kind of go with the flow.

Annika, what was your first impression upon meeting Katherine?

ANNIKA: Oh, I understood that this was the legend who had been on the show since the beginning. I think you were my second callback. I think the first one I read with Scott Clifton (Liam). When they called me back again and they had me read with you, I remember I just opened the doors and she was just  standing there. I was like, “Oh, Gosh. Okay. I’m reading with Katherine Kelly Lang.” She was very professional, knew her lines like back and forth, and she was saying the lines as if she was really the character. It wasn’t even like acting. That’s how good she is.

Photo: JPI

Where do you think Brooke and Hope’s relationship is at now?

ANNIKA: Brooke and Hope have maybe ironed out some misunderstandings. I think there’s still that little bit of Hope’s baggage or just unresolved trauma, or she needs to go see a psychiatrist about not wanting to become like her mother. I think she acted out in a lot of ways within the Thomas storyline.

KATHERINE: Brooke wasn’t happy with Hope and Thomas. She didn’t approve. Brooke’s a little bit more relieved and doesn’t have to deal with that pressure and can get back to the relationship with her daughter. I think they’re really good friends and I think they have a good understanding of each other and their positions within this relationship. I think it’s only going to get stronger and better, when they realize that they are two powerhouses together.

Photo: JPI

Remember when Brooke and Thomas had their psychedelic berry trip and we didn’t know if they slept together?

ANNIKA: I try not to think about it. (Laughs)

KATHERINE: Well, I loved it! I almost have to say that was my favorite fun story. In it, our plane crashed in the ocean and this was a huge production. They had made a pool inside a hangar, and then the pool was full with broken plane pieces, and we are sputtering up out of the water. It was dark and misty, they had the smoke, everything. It looked like a movie. So, we got to do that which was so much fun. When we were stranded on the island, we actually shot those scenes in Malibu. But, they also made a huge deserted island on set. It was humongous. It almost took up the whole stage, and that’s when Brooke and Thomas were high on berries, and the flowers would come out of the the cave. There were a lot of CGI effects. It was crazy and incredible. Adam Gregory was playing Thomas then, and we had a lot of fun. We never knew if Thomas and Brooke actually did it or not, but then it turned out they didn’t, because they realized it was like something in a dream.

ANNIKA: We like to keep things vague.

Photo: JPI

The show, at times, likes to pull out the classic line, “Slut from the Valley.” How do you feel about your character being called that when it was originated by Stephanie Forrester, who used to dig at Brooke?

KATHERINE: Do I mind, “Slut from the Valley?” I didn’t mind it when Stephanie (Susan Flannery) would say it, but I kind of mind it when other people say it.  I thought that was Stephanie’s line, and that should just come from her.

Photo: JPI

Annika, one of the hottest topics on B&B’s fans mind in our live chat, is when Thomas returns from Paris, will he and Hope rekindle their relationship or is it truly over?

ANNIKA: I’m just as in the dark as everyone else about what is to come with that. So, I’m kind of waiting on pins and needles to see if we revisit it, or if Thomas has moved on. I’m just so curious to see what is to come. I think we’re going to find out very soon.

Check out the full video interview with Katherine and Annika below. Now let us know, do you enjoy the mother/daughter scenes between Brooke and Hope as played by Katherine and Annika? Are you rooting for one of them to win the Daytime Emmy for Lead Actress? What do you think will happen in the future for Brooke and for Hope? Weigh-in below.

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Interviews

(INTERVIEW) Y&R’s Eric Braeden Chats on His First Lead Actor Daytime Emmy Nomination in 20 Years, Why He Entered the Race After Voting Reform, and His Enduring Legacy as Victor Newman

The Young and the Restless’ iconic Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) received his first Lead Actor Daytime Emmy nomination in 20 years, when NATAS and the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards revealed who would be going for gold at the upcoming ceremony on June 7th live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

The iconic Braeden is a past Lead Actor recipient having won back in 1998. However, the last time Eric was nominated in the category was 2004. Throughout his enduring run on the top-rated CBS soap opera, he has now received a total of 9 Lead Actor nominations and a 10th, when back in 2002, along with Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki), they were nominated in the now defunct and then special fan voted category for “America’s Favorite Couple.”

This year, Eric’s nominated reel features scenes between Victor and Adam (Mark Grossman) where they discuss their fractured relationship as father and son, and the struggles and conflicts they have had personally and in business. In addition, Braeden also shares scenes with Melody Thomas Scott’s Nikki, where Victor voices his disappointment that the Newman children seemingly can’t get along and work together within the Newman dynasty. In Eric’s reel, the only characters who make appearances are the aforementioned Adam and Nikki.

Photo: JPI

Michael Fairman visited the set of The Young and the Restless for a special video sit-down with the legendary star exclusively for the Michael Fairman Channel. 

During the conversation, Eric touched upon why he will participate in the Daytime Emmys at this point in his career due to changes in the voting procedures, his most embarrassing Emmy moment, how he feels about his fellow nominees, and that he wilattending this year’s ceremony.

Here are a few excerpts from the interview below, followed by the full video interview in its entirety.

How does it feel to get your first Lead Actor nomination in 20 years?

ERIC: You can’t help but feel very good about it. I had not submitted any stuff for more than 10 years, because I didn’t believe in the voting process. Finally, the academy had the sense to invite outsiders to widen the circle of those who vote for this. You cannot ask for objectivity when you vote from within only your company. That’s nonsense. Then, personalities play a role in who likes who. I’m very happy about the nomination, though.

You had some scenes between father and son on your nominated reel, as Victor and Adam (Mark Grossman) discuss their complex relationship and history. How was working with Mark?

ERIC: Mark Grossman is a wonderful actor. He’s a good actor.

You would up this year in a Lead Actor category that also features: John McCook (Eric, B&B), Thorsten Kaye (Ridge, B&B), Scott Clifton (Liam, B&B), and Eric Martsolf (Brady, DAYS). I think you know some of these gentlemen?

ERIC: Thorsten Kaye is a very good actor. I’ve known John McCook for 150 years, I think 140 years, maybe. And the other gentlemen, I don’t know, but I’m sure they’re all worthy of receiving the same award.

Photos: CBS and JPI

I talked to Eric Martsolf after he received his Daytime Emmy nomination, and he said he’s so honored to be in the category with you, and that his late mother would be so thrilled that he’s in the category with Victor Newman. My late mom felt the same way when she came to the set and met you years ago. For so many people, you are the guy they all want to meet.

ERIC: That’s nice. That’s really very touching to know. This medium in that sense has been wonderful. As I’ve told you before, I joined this reluctantly and signed on for three months, and here I am 44 years later. That’s very nice to know about Eric’s mother, and your mother.

What was your reaction to finding out you were nominated?

ERIC: To be very frank with you, I was very happy. I said “Oh, that’s nice.” Someone had listened because I’d complained for years about the voting system, and it was based on pure laziness as far as I’m concerned. There are 150,000 registered actors in Hollywood. You can’t tell me that you can vote only from within your company. It’s nonsense. It’s not right. You know, let other actors from the outside be judges of what they see.

Photo: Courtesy/NATAS

I believe when you won in 1998, you didn’t go to the Emmy’s, right?

ERIC: I was doing a Shakespeare play that evening, if I recall. However, I’ve got to tell you about the most embarrassing moment. Aretha Franklin was a big fan of the show and of mine. She had asked me if I would present with her at Radio City Music Hall in New York. These producers when you accept an award, be it the Oscars or whatever it is, they will sit in the booth, and they say, “Move on, move on, move on.” They want you to get on and off stage very quickly. That should not be allowed. When you receive an award, then it should last a little. So, there’s a ticker thing in front of me, and you look at it and kept on saying, “Eric Braeden move on.” I’d hardly been there with Aretha Franklin and I wanted to thank Bill Bell (co-creator and former head writer, Y&R). We owe everything to him. We owe everything to that man’s foundation and his genius. So, I stood there with Aretha and I saw again “Eric Braeden.” So I said, “And I would like to thank Eric Braeden.” The moment I said it, I wanted to sink in to the ground. Fortunately, it was a long time ago, but I had to bring it up again because I’ll never forget it.

Photo: CBS

You’ve done so much for this industry, so much for Y&R, and the soaps. You’re an icon in it. It must be nice to get recognized by your peers, at this point in your career.

ERIC: It felt wonderful, no question. I even sent the nominating announcement to my brothers in German. I’m very happy about it, very proud of it, you know.

So, will you be rooting for Eric come Emmy night to take home his first Lead Actor Emmy in 20 years? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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Interviews

(INTERVIEW) B&B’s Scott Clifton Chats On His Lead Actor Emmy-Nominated Scenes, Reluctance to Submit for Several Years, and the Honor to be Named with His Co-Stars

The Bold and the Beautiful received 12 Daytime Emmy nominations for the upcoming 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards tied with The Young and the Restless for the most of any show. Of those 12 nods, 7 were acting nominations for its cast. One of the names who made the Lead Actor race was a very familiar face to Emmy voters, and a three-time winner, Scott Clifton (Liam).

For the first-time in the shows 37-year history, three leading actors from the soap made the grade and find themselves up against each other on Emmy night: Clifton, Thorsten Kaye (Ridge) and John McCook (Eric). While Kaye won the 2023 gold statuette in the category and McCook won in 2022, the last time Clifton won in this category was 2017.

Scott also holds the Daytime Emmy record for the only actor to win in all three acting categories: ‘Younger’ in 2011, ‘Supporting’ in 2013 and then the aforementioned ‘Lead’ category. This year, also marks Clifton’s 10th Daytime Emmy nomination, having also picked up nods early in his career for his work as Dillon Quartermaine on General Hospital and as Schuyler Joplin on One Life to Live.

Photo: MFTV Inc

On Friday, April 26th, The Bold and the Beautiful held an on set celebration to honor this year’s nominated cast, crew and creatives. When B&B executive producer and head writer, Brad Bell introduced Scott Clifton, as one of the three actors from the series being recognized at Emmy time, Clifton addressed those in attendance.

Scott expressed, “I’m grateful to you, Brad Bell, and this family you created. I know at the end of my life, I’m not going to remember winning Emmys. I’m going to remember that I was nominated alongside John McCook and Thorsten Kaye. That’s what I’m going to remember, and that’s still blowing my mind, on the shoulders of giants doesn’t do it justice. So thank you, for that one.”

Photo: JPI

Following the acknowledgements, Michael Fairman TV caught up with Scott to gain some insight into what scenes he submitted on his Emmy reel, how he feels being back in the Emmy competition an, and more. Here’s what he shared below.

What scenes did you submit that landed you this Lead Actor nomination?

SCOTT: When Hope (Annika Noelle) and Liam come back home from Rome. It’s just two episodes in a row. That’s all it was, which was new for me. I’ve never really submitted a reel like that. But, it’s where Liam confronts Hope about kissing Thomas (Matthew Atkinson). It’s a side of Liam I don’t think, at least any Emmy voters have seen before where he’s just an asshole. Of course, he’s hurt and he is angry and he feels betrayed. But, he is sort of toying with Hope, almost. And then it turns into this somewhat cruel interrogation scene. Annika was incredible. It wouldn’t have worked without her performance.

Photo: JPI

It was the scene where Liam is pushing Hope to admit she kissed Thomas, going “C’mon, say it, Hope! Say it with me?”

SCOTT: Correct. Liam’s going, “I want you to say it. You say it.” That’s somewhat in the middle of the reel, and there was just sort of this lead up to that. It ends with Hope kind of pleading and begging to Liam, saying, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I still love you.” Liam’s still emotional, but he is saying, “I don’t know how that could be true.” That’s just kind of where it ends. I hadn’t planned on submitting anything. It wasn’t like I was submitting because I thought I had a good year going,”Now, which scenes do I find?” I had multiple people here that I trust, Eva Basler (VP Communications and Talent Relations, B&B) and Rachel Herman (Associate Producer, B&B), come up to me and say, “Just submit those scenes, please.”, I said, “okay.” And I did, and then this happened, which blew me away.

Did you think that, perhaps, would never receive a nomination again in your role as Liam?

SCOTT: I kind of thought the whole ‘Emmy nominations’ were over for me. They gave me three already.

Photo: NATAS

And, you hold the record for the only actor win in the Younger, Supporting and Lead categories.

SCOTT: I know, and now one of those categories doesn’t exist anymore, and that’s a bummer. And then, after that third one, I didn’t get nominated for like five years or something like that.

But in those five years, did you still submit yourself, though?

SCOTT: I fought hard not to because I wanted to give everybody a break and disappear for a while. And that comes from a place of like support and encouragement, but the show really wanted me to submit every year, even when I didn’t feel like I had anything. My argument was, this is a mistake. Emmy voter time is valuable and they don’t want to see something that you’re not totally proud of, and I don’t want to create resentment about me or the show. I would wager to say I was right. Then finally, the last two years, the show said, “OK, fine, you don’t want to submit, you don’t have to submit”. And then this year, the Emmy voters gave me the nomination. I feel good about that.

In the scenes you submitted, Liam wasn’t a doofus. He stood up for himself in it, which was good. He wasn’t going to lay down and let Hope just run over him with her betrayal.

SCOTT: We’ve seen kind of the vulnerable Liam, we’ve seen Liam scrambling to be heard, but he was in control throughout all these scenes. That’s a side that I had not played much before, and that the Emmy voters certainly haven’t seen me do.

Photo: JPI

Now, who do you root for yourself, John McCook or Thorsten Kaye since B&B holds three of the five slots in the Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series this year?

SCOTT: Oh, God. If any one of us gets it, that would be fantastic. Think about it. In terms of game theory, the value in getting an Emmy nomination is that you have a chance of winning an award for the show, right? The more we can get nominations, the more awards we can win. Those are awards for the show. That helps with ratings, it helps with the contract with the network. It’s all good. It inspires Brad to write more. So, I don’t care, honestly, but we have a three out of five chance of getting the show another Lead Actor Emmy which is huge. So, I’m rooting for any one of us.

Who did you first tell that you were Emmy-nominated?

SCOTT:  I was with my girlfriend, Elle. I was getting out of the shower and I’ve got like a towel barely around me and I got a phone call from Eva Basler. Then, Elle, she just saw the look on my face, and she could only hear my side of it, but she was trying to figure out what was going on. Then, I got off the phone and she went, “Did you just get nominated for Emmy?” And I said, “Yeah, I think I did.”

Make sure to tune-in to the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ beginning at 8pm ET/ delayed on the west coast.

Now below, check out some of the moments from the scenes that Scott included in his Emmy-nominated where Liam confronts Hope about her betrayal of kissing Thomas in Rome. Then, let us know, will you be rooting for Scott to take home the Lead Actor Emmy this year? What did you think about his nominated performance? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

 

 

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