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B&B's Crystal Chappell & Joanna Johnson Talk About Pride, Self-Acceptance & Their New Storyline!
Photo Credits: L Bohm & K. Hutchins
In a brand new feature interview out today from On-Air On-Soaps Michael Fairman for FrontiersLa.com, The Bold and the Beautiful’s Joanna Johnson (Karen) and Crystal Chappell (Danielle) talk candidly about Joanna’s thoughts post-coming out publicly a few weeks ago, working together as the soaps first ever same-sex on-screen couple, and the difficult journey it can be for one to find self-acceptance in a world that is often still filled with prejudice. The piece entitled: The Bold and the Beautiful Lives of Joanna Johnson and Crystal Chappell also appears in the current L.A Pride issue of Frontiers LA on newsstands now in the Southern California area. Here are some interesting and compelling excerpts below!
Joanna on how she turned her thinking around after feeling she could never have the kind of life she was portraying on TV when she first was on B&B: “For me, once I quit acting, that was really freeing. I became more out with everybody that knew me. And as a writer/producer, I talked about my wife and my family all the time. There have been times where I have felt, “If they know I am gay, will they think I can’t write straight?” Certainly, I have had those thoughts, but mostly, I think I project my fears onto other people. I put what I think they are thinking into their heads. Growing up, I have learned that most people really are not giving me much thought. [Laughs] In their own lives they are not sitting around and thinking, “Hmm. That Joanna Johnson is gay,” when in fact they are not thinking about me at all. I felt that less so as an actress in the business, and it probably contributed to why I stopped acting, because it was very hard for me to hide out. In those days, I didn’t feel like I could come out and it wouldn’t hurt my career, and possibly embarrass the Bell family, although they have always been incredibly supportive. I did not want to hurt the show in any way. But, I often felt the pressure when I would go to Europe. The American soap press does not ask a lot about your home life. They are pretty respectful. It’s more of a friendly relationship. But when I would go overseas and be asked, “Who is your boyfriend?,” I felt like I was not being authentic and lying. I would be thinking, “If they knew I was gay, they would stone me in the streets.” I think that pressure, besides the other pressures that come along with acting, which are to be beautiful and sexy as a woman, and the object of desire when you are an ingénue or a younger actress, was a lot of pressure for me. That was because of my own self-loathing. It was my own doubts and prejudice of myself that got in my way. It was hard for me to have that as a mirror out there in the world.”
Crystal on any trepidation taking on another gay role on a daytime soap, after her last run as Guiding Light’s Olivia was filled with forehead touching and knuckle play with her love interest, Natalia (Jessica Leccia) : “I have perfected the art of forehead butting and knuckle touching, by the way. [Laughs] A role is a role, to be honest, as an actor. So I don’t have an issue with playing another gay character. Obviously, the story is important. I have talked about being an ambassador for the Hetrick-Martin Institute, and that is an organization close to my heart. I want these young people to grow up represented and see themselves on TV. So when the opportunity was presented to me, there was no trepidation at all. In terms of my previous experience with playing Olivia on Guiding Light, it’s a different time and a different company. I know what I was told and I feel very good about the story. It’s about a loving family. They have their issues and they have a child together. I am just happy to be a part of it. Just for the record, I am very proud of Joanna. It is a brave thing to do. During my time in the Otalia storyline, I got so many letters from people sharing their stories with me and Jessica Leccia [Ex-Natalia, GL]. These were stories they had never shared with their own families. There was this self-loathing and trying to come to terms, and being afraid to lose the people they love for being who they are, and so I admire Joanna for being so brave.”
Joanna and Crystal on if they feel they are clicking on-screen as a couple yet: Joanna: “Crystal is fine and fantastic, and I am the nervous, giddy, silly one. We had to take these pictures together and have them on the mantel in our scenes. We had to have our arms around each other and pretend we are at the Grand Canyon. I was all nervous and at one point Crystal goes, “I can feel you pulling away.” [Laughs] And I go, “Oh, I am so sorry. It’s bringing up a lot of my issues.” [Laughs] Crystal: “Joanna is a great actress. I was honestly relieved. [Laughs] Yes, she is a beautiful woman, but I was like, “Oh, she is really good.” It’s a joy. I feel like I am sitting back watching this thing unfold. I don’t know where it’s going, but it’s exciting.”
Make sure to read the entire interview at Frontiers LA.com and let us know what you think of Joanna and Crystal’s comments on their new story and the struggles one endures when coming out, as well as all Crystal has done as an amazing friend to the LGBT community, and Joanna’s personal touching journey.
I excited to see their story play out, hope to more on CC & JJ on screen in the near future. Too bad the magazine only for SoCal.
Crystal Chappell and Joanna Johnson are both beautiful and talented actresses !!! This is an amazing storyline by amazing actresses by an amazing show … Thank You Brad Bell and TPTB at The Bold and The Beautiful !!!
What a journey this has been for both actresses- both on and off-screen…I look forward to watching the story of Dani and Karen unfold…
Watching the final GL episodes from the soapclassics.com I ordered, it is annoying to see Olivia and Natalia head butting and touching fingers. Thank God the soaps doing it after are more brave and are showing more.
Blake, the only reason that CC and JL did all of those head butting and touching fingers scenes in that final year of GL is because Ellen Wheeler (GL’s Executive Producer during GL’s final year on the air) is a Mormon and does not approve of the LGBT community.
Many daytime fans have screamed bloody murder should any other daytime show hire her or Christopher Goutman (As The World Turns’ last Executive Producer) to help run those shows. These two people have been branded as daytime dramas’ show killers and for good reasons. Which is why I’m glad no other daytime soap ever hired either of them after GL and ATWT went belly up (although there were rumors that Goutman might have gone to Y&R but thankfully Maria Arena Bell laughed that rumor off and said NO WAY!).
I thought Wheeler was all for the couple and CBS didn’t want them going very far. I’m all confused lol.
But I don’t put it past Wheeler, look at the s*** she did to GL in it’s final years. It should have been cancelled before she did the Peapack BS and ruined so many characters, couples, and storylines!
I’m so excited to see Crystal back on my screen and even more so that she’s playing another gay character. I can’t wait to see how the Danika storyline unfolds!
The scenes yesterday with Bill thinking Dani was coming on to him were hilarious!
Their storyline will be short and sweet if they are remotely involved with the characters Ridge & Brooke. Their are too many good actors who have been tossed aside because of these two characters, I could list them for you but it would take two pages.
Where I can get a copy of this magazine?
I think CC and JJ will tell a story of deep love for family and themselves. I thank B&B for allowing a true love story play out and I look forward to spending my afternoon watching these two awesome actress!!
It looks like the current run of Lucas Adams (Noah) and Tamara Braun (Sienna) on The Young and the Restless is coming to an end, after the Monday, August 3 edition of the CBS daytime drama revealed that Noah and Sienna are leaving Genoa City and heading back to Los Angeles.
In the storyline, Noah informed his mother, Sharon (Sharon Case) and half-sister Mariah (Camryn Grimes) that he and Sienna made the decision to move back to the West Coast to put distance between themselves and Matt Clark (Roger Howarth). Although Noah did not say it was a permanent move, he did assure his mom that once Matt is hopefully gone from Genoa City they could return.
However, as previewed already on the video teaser for this week’s episodes of Y&R (see below), it appears Noah left Genoa City’s The Shadow Room to be run by a returning Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian). So with that, coupled with today’s episode, it would appear the move could wind up being more permanent.
Photo: JPI
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Adams made his Y&R debut on November 4, 2025 as the successor to Rory Gibson who last played Noah on-screen in April of 2023. Earlier in 2025, Gibson took over the role of Michael Corinthos on Genera Hospital replacing Chad Duell, who stepped away from the part after 15 years.
Braun who played Adam’s mother on Days of Our Lives when she was Ava Vitali and he was Tripp Dalton, first appeared on Y&R back on October 14, 2025, where we soon learned she had become Noah’s lover as the new character, Sienna Bacall. It should be noted, Adams was on contract with the number #1 soap, while Braun has been on recurring status.
With Josh Griffith now exited as head writer of The Young and the Restless, and the newly announced co-head writing team of Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor having taken his place and starting their new tenure this week, it will be interesting to see how the duo resets the show, and if a Noah and Sienna return is in the cards for the future or not.
So, what do you think about the seeming departures of Lucas Adams and Tamara Braun from The Young and the Restless? Weigh-in via the comment section. But first, check out our recent live chat with Tamara and Lucas on the Michael Fairman Channel.
Rosie O’Donnell revealed that she plans to head back to a seat at the table of ABC’s morning talk show The View.
The announcement came during Monday’s episode of The Tangle Podcast where she shared she will participate in “in whatever way they want” her or “just as a guest” for its upcoming 30th season.
The View’s season 30 will kick-off this fall in September. O’Donnell explained, “They’re bringing back all the hosts, I think. And, you know, I’m pretty proud of that show, what it’s become and how it really speaks to the people and to politics.”
Photo: ABC
ROSIE ON HER PREVIOUS GO-ROUNDS ON THE VIEW
As fans of The View know, O’Donnell famously had two different one-year stints on the talk show in 2007 and again in 2014- 2015. She often feuded with then co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck.
However, during her discussion with host, Kyle Ridley on The Tangle Podcast, O’Donnell also noted she often had tense moments with longtime moderator and anchor, Whoopi Goldberg.
O’Donnell also expressed, “Many, many people got the short end of the stick there. It was, you know, it was a factory where people were being churned in and out and their tenuous security, nobody got to be calm. It also was a show at the time that was run by a man. A show created by a woman, for women, about women, and the man was deciding what we should talk about. And that didn’t sit right with me, you know.”
Back in 2023, Brooke Shields had asked Rosie on her podcast, Now What? with Brooke Shields, about how she felt on her two stints at The View and all the controversy that surrounded it. Rosie at that time, stated, “I know this, it’s not the best use of my talent to get in a show where I have to argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness. It was not something I’d ever do again.”
You can check out the clip with Rosie and Kyle Ridley discussing her return to The View in some form for its upcoming 30th season below.
Then weigh-in: Would you be excited to see Rosie, even for a one-day or a week guest stint on the upcoming celebratory season of The View, or not so much? Let us know via the comment section.
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General Hospital Fan Club Weekend brought out many of your favorites to the four day event; with the main cast gathering on Saturday, August 1. Fans near and far attended the weekend held this year at the Burbank Marriott Hotel. Whether it be the main cast event or the smaller more intimate events featuring two or three cast members a great time was had by all.
Some of the cast participating in the main cast event included: Cyrus Hobbi (Yuri), Gary James Fuller (James), Bradford Anderson (Spinelli), Viron Weaver (Wiley), Paige Herschell (Jacinda), Chris McKenna (Brennan), Josh Kelly (Cody), Kayden Brenna Tokarsi (Scout), Cassandra James (Terry), Laura Wright (Carly), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane), Rick Hearst (Ric), Adrian Anchondo (ex-Marco), and Chloe Lanier (ex-Nelle).
In addition to, Van Hansis (Lucas), Cameron Mathison (Drew), Ryan Paevey (ex-Cassius), Easton Rocket Sweda (Leo), Maurice Benard (Sonny), Kristen Vaganos (Molly), Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Kate Mansi (ex-Kristina), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth), Cynthia Watros (Nina), Kristina Wagner (Felicia) and more.
Take a look at some of the snaps from the main event arrivals below:
Photo: HutchinsPhoroi
GH’s Rick Hearst with on-screen daughter, Kristen Vaganos, plus Nancy Lee Grahn, and Kate Mansi.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Maurice Benard on-hand to meet the fans.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto.com
Jack Brennan in the house … Chris McKenna.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Adrian Anchondo, Van Hansis and Anchondo’s boyfriend, Days of Our Lives, Colton Little.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
GH’s Josh Kelly and his gal, the former Nelle Benson of Port Charles, Chloe Lanier.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Who is James’ father? Not Cassius or Spinelli, actually. Actors Gary James Fuller, Ryan Paevey and Bradford Anderson!
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
One of General Hospital’s newest cast members, Kayden Brenna Tokarski attends her first GHFCW event.
Check out some more arrival images featuring: Laura Wright (Carly), Cassandra James (Terry), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane) and more in the gallery below.
Michael Fairman TV will be adding more images to this post in the day ahead.
So, were you glad to see so many of your GH favorites attending this year’s General Hospital Fan Club Weekend? Let us know via the comment section.
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