Connect with us

News

Burgess Jenkins On Taking Over The Role Of Y&R's Billy Abbott: "It Was Apparent To Me From The Get-Go That This Was A Wonderful Character With Interesting Layers!"

Courtesy/UPTV

Courtesy/UPTV

Burgess Jenkins has spoken! The next actor hired as the heir apparent to the role of Billy Abbott on The Young and the Restless chatted with Soap Opera Digest for an upcoming interview to appear in their upcoming June 16th issue.

But today, Soap Opera Digest posted an excerpt from the feature where Jenkins reveals what his initial thoughts were on taking over the pivotal role from two past Daytime Emmy winners, David Tom and Billy Miller.

Burgess stated, “I talked with the producers about it and they filled me in on the role and it was apparent to me from the get-go that this was a wonderful character with interesting layers.  I met some of the cast and we clicked right away. Not only are they terrific people, but I can tell we’re going to have a great time. I was taken with this opportunity right away.”

So, how do you think Burgess will fit-in on-screen with the other cast members and characters on the canvas? Share your thoughts below!

Click to comment

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

It sounds to me that Burgess Jenkins is eager and that could be a good thing.Plus i’m sure some of his cast mates have helped him get settle in the role.So i wish him well.

He looks a lot like his big brother Peter Bergman!

Chelsea will end up with Billy or Stitch or both. She is always getting pregnant and it’s time for her to breed

chelsea could end up with adam. there are rumors the that might come back in the summer and that i think it why they had to recast billy in order to bring adam back in the picture now we know he is in fact alive.

Hope Chelsea is gone soon. Sharon had much better chemistry with Adam

Hey Mr. Burgess did you meet the cardboard cut out of Billy Miller also? Yes it is just hearts and flowers over there on the set of Y&R please cue the violins! Did he even read for the part?

That is so funny and true. I feel for David Tom and wish him all the best . He was doing an awesome job.

I am thrilled that he has accepted the role. I am one of his biggest fans and totally fell in love with him when he was on Army Wives. If we couldn’t have Billy Miller in the role I feel that this was a wonderful choice and I do not think anybody will be disappointed. Like Billy Miller, he is an outstanding actor. I just hope they will do him justice and write his role in a way that will be in sync with his talent. These writers don’t always do their best actors justice IMO.

Billy Miller is thee only Billy Abbott ..
It makes no difference how good or handsome one is, he will never be thee Billy Abbott

Y&R has become empty, flat, without MS, MM and BM ..
No replacing owned characters..

Adam is trademarked by MM ..

Phyllis is trademarked by MS

Billy is trademarked by BM

I wish Burgess well ..

They’ve been snatched!!!

But you don’t watch Y&R, you’ve told us that over and over again. The only show you like is GH. So why do you care, again??

I never seen his acting

Here it goes: Billy Miller is the one and only Billy even if he didnt originate the roll…i liked David Tom and they shouldnt let him go…i hate David Tom and im glad they let him go…this Burgess Jenkins is no Billy…this Burgess isnt no Billy Miller but he is better than David Tom…i like Burgess and he is a good Billy…ill give him a chance first…i could care less who plays the part…BRING BILLY MILLER BACK…BRING DAVID TOM BACK…this is all JFP fault and they should replace her instead…Good, i think i covered it all so now i dont have to read others comments…lol

So true!

Thanks you just saved me a lot of time, like your Reader’s Digest version of the great Billy Debate of 2014. But all kidding aside, your post is precisely the reason why powers that be rarely listen or care about “fan” reaction if they tried to pleased everyone all the time it would be a mess– as for Billy, if doesn’t matter if Brad Pitt played him, if the writing is bad the character will suffer– I think Mr. Tom talent wasn’t the problem, but the writing, I doubt even Mr. Miller could make the dribble coming out Billy’s mouth these days worth listening to.

Billy Miller got the meaty material of a grief stricken father who is hell bent on revenge for the tragic death of his beloved daughter Delia…a bravo emmy winning performance…David Tom wasnt so lucky…he barely got any of those emotional scenes that tug at the heart and allows you to feel his grief and pain…instead he is just a bitter man in a troubled marriage…he does a good job with the material given but not enough to win most fans approval…i like David Tom and i wish GH would hire him as Tracys son Dillion Quartimaine…thanks for your reply…i may not reply to everything you write but i still read everything you comment on…you always write very intelligent well written comments and you remain one of my top favorite posters!!!

I’m happy for Burgess, I just hope he clicks as Billy more than David Tom did. Nothing against DT as an actor, but he just didn’t work as Billy for me. Yes, he was the original adult Billy, and back when he first played the role, he was really good because his acting style worked with the character. Now it just seemed like DT took the Billy that Billy Miller molded and regressed him in age. Plus, the recast happened so quickly, and DT was immediately thrown into front-burner story, it was a lot to take in. Fans (including myself) were still reeling from BM’s exit, and all of the sudden a new actor pops up in a major role with major story, it was too much. That’s why I think DT didn’t work for me, and for most other viewers. Hopefully Burgess Jenkins does well, and hopefully the writers know where they’re taking the role!

I agree Jimmy…I don’t think ANYONE replacing Billy Miller would have been accepted…especially when it was done.
And maybe that was the thinking all along. Put David Tom, let him take the heat, then bring in someone we really want when people will be more willing to accept a replacement for DT.
I liked Burgess on Army Wives so I hope he’s given a chance on Y&R .

If that is true, and that’s what they did with DT, I think it’s the cruelest thing a show can do to an actor, especially one who was previously on said show in said role.

However, a more likely scenario is that the show thought that bringing the original adult portrayer back to the role would gain fan support more than a newbie would. I think the show hoped fans would embrace DT because he was on the show before, and back then he was loved.

But that didn’t happen, and I feel bad for DT being treated the way he was by the show. I wish him luck and I hope Burgess Jenkins dazzles us as Billy.

Nice looking man. Looking forward to watching him on Y&R. Now if he can act!!!!

So this huge story (Delia’s death, and now Victoria’s pregnancy) with two newbies (New Billy & Stitch) no emotional connection at all anymore. No thanks YR!
I want Billy Miller back.

He looks like a grown-up David Tom. I hope they don’t make him whiny like DT

He’s right. Billy Abbott IS a wonderful character with many layers. It’s just too bad that the current regime has no ability or even interest in WRITING him or any other character that way.

I’m sure Burgess can act,, He may be a very good actor..
However; that is not what it is about..

It is– can he be be Billy Abbott..
There was a high charisma, humor, facial expression, mannerisms, flamboyance, charm, that all belong to the Billy Miller/Billy Abbott character..
Billy Miller trademark Billy Abbott., for sure…
Burgess is handsome and he can act but can he portray Billy Abbott …
I gotta see this lol ..

My best to Burgess ..

I wish him all the best and hope he’s treated better than David Tom was.
But just when I stopped missing Billy Miller and just when I got used to David Tom who was really getting his sea legs, they fire him. Watching Miller’s poignant and powerful performance today, I will paraphrase that Pretty Woman, “Big Mistake! Huge!”

I thought david tom was doing a great job. But i understand not much job security on soaps.

People need to get over that it’s not Billy Miller playing him anymore. He CHOSE to leave the show. Let’s try to give this new guy a chance. I liked Miller too but this guy may be good.

Jake, I don’t disagree. However, you’re leaving out David Tom who was hired to to take Miller’s place to come back and play Billy Abbott again. I agree we need to let Billy Miller go, but firing David Tom one month after he started goes beyond the pale.
And David Tom was doing an outstanding job.
Let’s hope the fans, certain co workers and the stuffed shirts from Y&R treat this new guy better than they treated Tom.

Miller chose to leave AFTER he was denied the basic “outs” he asked for in his contract to do other things.

Apparantly, Jill Farren Phelps gave away all the perks to the other cardboard cut out on the Y&R set.

Rob, I couldn’t have said it better myself….

We all have to move on. Its like a death over at Y&R and JFP is the undertaker! Whether these actors left because of Jill or they wanted to pursue other roles, lets give Burgess a chance. We gave David a chance and it didnt work out. I hate change but they have a show to write. Hindsight, they should have written Billy off for the “Murder” of Adam and gave Billy Miller a chance to do other things and then see if he wanted to return BEFORE they recasted the role. [Why are the fans so much smarter than the people calling the shots at Y&R?]

Reading some of these comments makes me think of my grandma when she said be careful what you asked for. So many people thought that by complaining about David Tom, that would make Billy Miller return???? I don’t see the logic in that. David Tom was just doing what was written. And I say that by the fact that soaps are written far in advance. Even all this whiny crap that’s been on-screen still would have been BM if he had stayed and I STILL would be annoyed with the Billy character. People are also saying that they made Billy whiny. No more so than when he did his last whiny song and dance from the gambling storyline, or sleeping with Chelsea. Hell, even I hated the Billy character during his slumming it during the Trailer Park years. During so many moments they have made Billy the character whiny and never taking responsibility for his actions. Thats always been my problem with the character at so many moments. And for that I blame the writing. What will you guys do when Billy is now being portrayed by a new person with the same writing direction??? Do we blame the actor again. And say its the fault of the actor for not being Billy Miller. Its time to let it go. The guy left the building. I’m anticipating the He’s awesome, ugh I don’t like his portrayal, he doesnt gel with the cast, he’s not Billy Abbott, we want David Tom back, bring back Billy Miller. And the Cycle continues….Sigh Regardless of who plays Billy, the crappy writing will still be the same.

Also, Billy Miller has been gaining lots of traction in his primetime career. He was going to leave eventually. And before anyone says how do I know that. I’m speaking from the business side. Unfortunately, so many damn casting peeps & silly suit exes still thumb their noses down at Daytime Actors. Also everytime Billy Miller left to go do these short time gigs in Primetime, Billy would be offscreen for 2-4 weeks at a time. Which to me always slowed down the pacing of a few storylines. They kept having to come up with a reason to send him away for meetings or restaurant business. I think the guy is CRAZY TALENTED, and felt he should have left awhile ago to really give his primetime career a chance. So many people are going to say, he could do both. But how long could he do that everytime he booked something. I’ve been on auditions for things sometimes shooting the following week. Soap production schedules are down way in advanced. Its not that easy to roll up to the production offices and get out of shooting. He did the right thing leaving. Be happy, and lets look towards the future. We can’t move forward if we constantly are looking in the rear view mirror.

To be honest, I feel bad for any actor taking over the Billy or Adam roles. They are going to get a bum rap from their very first day. And whomever takes over Adam Newman now, I pray for that guy, cause the MM fans are going to eat him alive. Everything he does is going to be slanted with a this is what Michael Muhney would do rant or comparison.

Good comments, Travis. Here’s what I don’t get. If the MM fanatics supposedly quit watching the show 5 months ago…then why do they care who gets the role?

This guy looks like a competent actor. I’m looking forward to see how he plays the part. I found it interesting that the producers approached him out of the blue. They must’ve seen something that they were looking for. Hopefully what they saw also connects with the fans because THREE actors for ONE storyline is a lot. You lose the continuity because each actor will interpret it differently. By the time BJ gets on screen will I even care that “Billy” lost Delia since BM and EH who originated the story aren’t around anymore?

Billy Miller will always be Billy Abbott. The constant recasting is ridiculous.

He wont be good for the role. YR needs to give. BM the contract he wants and bring him back.

When this backfires (and I think it will) I hope the casting director is fired.

Yes, it is sad that Billy Abbott lost Delia, but it was his, and no one else’s, fault. Adam was as much of a victim of Billy Abbott’s negligence as was Delia (and hence Chloe).

Billy Miller went on to bigger things; David Tom will get another role without that role’s baggage (B.M. fans) and good luck to the new guy. I just hope he knows that deep down, Billy Abbott’s number one priority is Billy Abbott.

Billy Miller is irreplaceable.

Bring Billy Miller back.Give him what he wants.

I did like Billy Miller. But, I like Burgess Jenkins. What all the fan girls seem to forget is he (and Michelle Stafford) chose to leave. I hope David Tom gets a Part on the Bold and the Beautiful or Days of Our lives.

The role of Billy Abbott just does not fit any other actor except Billy Miller. He is an amazing actor. His acting shows such depth with no limits. Either bring back Billy Miller or write the character out.

Happy that David Tom is leaving…he couldn’t replace Billy Miller who needs to come back. Is it a money issue? Y&R should consider how valuable a character he was. I will say Tom was ok as the teenager Billy but he’s out of his league as adult Billy.

PLEASE BRING BILLY MILLER BACK Y&R !!!!!

anybody is better than the Billy right now he is just a kid my grandson could do as well and he is only 8
also think about getting rid of Kelly she is a pain in the butt there will never be another person that will play phyliss as well as the one that did no matter how far you looked also get rid of cry baby Sharon you guys were good writers at one time get some good actors or actreses back

I hope they won’t make him a pretty boy. Billy’s character is rough around the collar. It would be wise to remember that and let him have a 5 o’clock shadow to take away from the long, slender face. MILLER is who fan’s relate to as Billy. He is a stocky, bad boy. I am looking forward to seeing if JENKINS can pull it off and not make us laugh when he tries to play angry, tough, scripts.

Well I like his looks 100% better than the last 2…they had whimpy looks and I could not stand to hear their voices.

Sorry, but glad Tom is out; he was a good fit for the younger Billy Abbott role, but not so much as grown up Billy. I loved Miller in this role and it is too bad he is gone. I miss him. I wish Jenkins all the best.

General Hospital

Tristan Riggs is General Hospital’s New Aiden

Looks like there is another new actor in the younger set on General Hospital. Tristan Riggs is taking over the role of Elizabeth Webber’s (Rebecca Herbst) son, Aiden.

Previously, Enzo De Angelis played the part of Liz and Lucky’s (formerly Jonathan Jackson) son since 2021. Soap Opera Digest confirmed that Riggs is now firmly in the part.

The switch happened on today’s Thursday May 2nd episode in scenes. Recently, Aiden came out as gay to him mom after admitting his interest in one of his classmates.

Photo: ABC

As Riggs begins in the part, it looks like Aiden is being bullied at school. Elizabeth is trying to get to the bottom of things and made an appointment with school counselors to find out what’s going on, after seeing his book bag had pink paint on it.

Riggs has been acting since he was 7-year-0ld and has appeared on the TV series Walker, True Lies and Best Foot Forward to name a few.

So, what do you think of Tristan Riggs as the new Aiden? Do you hope Aiden’s story becomes more front and center? Comment below.

Continue Reading

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.

Continue Reading

General Hospital

Juliet Donenfeld is the Temporary Recast as General Hospital’s Georgie

Those who saw the GH preview for today’s May 2nd episode were a bit confused when they saw a young actress sitting with Lois (Rena Sofer) and Violet (Jophielle Love). As it turns out, that young girl is a recast Georgie.

Juliet Donenfeld is stepping into the role temporarily replacing Lily Fisher. As viewers know, Georgie is the young daughter of Maxie (Kirsten Storms) and Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) named after Maxie’s sister, Georgie who passed away.

According to Soap Opera News, Fisher will be back soon in the part.

As for Donenfeld’s credits, she has appeared as JJ in the Netflix’s WWE series The Big Show Show,  Better Call Saul, Good Girls, Station 19, and Sydney to the Max to name but a few.

In addition, Juliet became the youngest nominee for an Annie Award, gaining recognition for voicing the character of Sally Squirrel in the Animated TV/Broadcast Production of Pete the Cat.

Watch today’s GH teaser below, and let us know your thoughts about Juliet as a recast Georgie via the comment section below.

Continue Reading

Video Du Jour

Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

Recent Comments

Power Performance

Eileen Davidson as Ashley

The Young and the Restless

Airdate: 4-12-2024

Popular