Courtesy/CBS

Tomorrow on the Wednesday March 26th episode of The Young and the Restless, Genoa City’s Neil Winters and Hilary Curtis, who have ventured to Los Angeles on a business trip, end up smack dab in the middle of the audience of the number one game show, The Price is Right!  And Hilary gets to “come on down”!

Will Hilary win big?  Will Neil find this woman who once loathed him irresistible?  Will they hang out with TPIR host, Drew Carey in this CBS crossover?

On-Air On-Soaps spoke with Kristoff St. John (Neil) and Mishael Morgan (Hilary) about what is happening between their two characters!  Are sparks going to fly now that Neil’s last attempt at love fizzled with Leslie (Angell Conwell)?  Read on to find out their thoughts on the matter, and how on earth they end up on the most popular game show ever!

Neil and Leslie’s relationship just hit the skids when they did not say their, “I do’s”.  So, what’s a guy to do?  Head to L.A. with a beautiful young woman and play America’s number one game show?

Courtesy/CBS

KRISTOFF:  First of all, Neil is upset about the proceedings that happened in his life.  He was hoping it would go as planned.  It didn’t happen, and so now he is potentially on the prowl.  His broken heart is quickly repairing; because evidently a day or two after the break-up, he is making plans with Hilary to possibly make her his future ex-wife! (Laughs)

How and why do Hilary and Neil end up on The Price is Right?

MISHAEL: Because it’s Hilary’s big dream, and Neil makes it come true.

Neil pulled some strings and got them some tickets? Or, did they wait in line like everyone else hoping to make it into the studio audience? (Laughs)

KRISTOFF:  Well, Neil and Hilary are on a business trip that Jack sent us on from Genoa City. This is because we need to discuss things with Forrester Creations, so there is another crossover with The Bold and the Beautiful!  So, we have this new line by Chelsea that we are about to premiere at the fashion show that is upcoming on Y&R.  We are in L.A on business and in the middle of our business, Hilary does say, “I would like to go to see The Price is Right,” and then Neil, who probably knows The Price is Right host, Drew Carey, gets Drew on the phone because they are best buddies, and he gets them the audience seats.

Courtesy/CBS

Now on tomorrow’s episode of Y&R, Hilary gets to “come on down” and play the one an only, Plinko?

MISHAEL:  Yes, and isn’t Plinko everybody’s favorite game?

Here’s the thing: I thought Hilary and Neil hated each other.  When did the tide turn?  Well, you know how that goes on soaps, where there is hate … there is passion!

MISHAEL:  Neil is coming around.  He got Hilary a job with Jack (Peter Bergman).  I know Hilary was nasty to him before, but I think he liked that about me!  He probably thought it was kinky. (Laughs)

KRISTOFF:  Honestly, Neil was enraged at her, but you know, “forgiveness” is a wonderful word, and “acceptance” and “tolerance” are some others.  When Neil looked at Hilary closely, he realized how broken she was, and under repair at the time.  I think he potentially felt he could be a savior, and maybe someone who for the first time in her life, she was able to express her feelings with, and cry about it, and release all of the upset she had been going through.  I think that is what has happened between them.

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

But Devon (Bryton James) likes Hilary, and there lies a major conflict!

MISHAEL:  Yeah, I think he does.  I do see that the guys could be fighting over her, which could be interesting.  But, Hilary looks up to Neil. 

Everybody looks up to Neil!

KRISTOFF:  No! (Laughs) Neil is Mr. Boring, milquetoast, stand up guy!   He does have an image he has to uphold and that is an image that happens to Neil/KSJ.  I am just waiting to bust out of this “Superman” suit that is worn, and let people see the other side of Neil.

Hilary was recently kissing Jack!  She sure is getting around.  What’s driving her?

MISHAEL:  Yes, she gets around!

KRISTOFF:  She is a floozy! (Laughs)

MISHAEL:  Hilary is attracted to power and ambition and all these great things that these great man have.  She wants to be out there with them and be in that world.

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KRISTOFF:  Well … the powers right here in the form of … “Steel Winters”! (Laughs)

Kristoff, does it bother you that they have paired you with different women over the more recent years on Y&R (post-Drucilla), and none of the pairings have stuck?  Do you think that Hilary and Neil have the potential to be a winning combo?

KRISTOFF:  I do feel that way.  I do feel there is a real juxtaposition tweak, where you have Neil this very straight-laced guy and she is straight-laced too, but because they hated each other at the beginning, this could be a romance of a lifetime, or it may implode.  But to answer the other question, because Drucilla (Victoria Rowell) left Neil’s life none can compare in the eye of the audience and that is the problem.  I lost my supercouple status when she walked out the door.  It’s very difficult to replace that other half of a supercouple on soaps.  That is why they haven’t been able to match the character very well with anyone.  I feel that this could be the second time with Mishael, and actually, I thought Nia Peeples (Ex-Karen) when she was here was on the mark.  And Angell Conwell (Leslie), I love working with.  I know there was chemistry there.  I just don’t think the audience was in full support of it.

Mishael, after Hilary’s original machinations and revenge tactics that brought her to Genoa City, the character could have been easily been written off the canvas.  But instead, which is a testament to you, Y&R gave you a contract and it looks like know they are anchoring you to another story, where you could have been lost in the mix.

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

MISHAEL:  I could be floating around. I am ecstatic to have this story and to be at Y&R.

I assume you don’t want Hilary to just become a “goody-girl” now.

MISHAEL:  I don’t want her to be a total “goody-girl”.  I want her to have that fire.  I think that fire is what always makes the Neil character more interesting within a couple’s scenario, because he is so straight laced.  So that fire is necessary to draw things out and you know the old saying, “Opposites Attract”?  So, it’s cool.  We will see where it goes.

Last word Kristoff, on Neil and Hilary’s trip to L.A?

KRISTOFF:  The last word is … while Neil and Hilary are in Los Angeles; I think they are having a wonderful time, not even approaching the romantic side of their relationship yet. But I think all of it would take is a Jacuzzi, a bottle of wine and a twenty-five cent quarter bed at a cheap motel and it’s on and popping!

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

MISHAEL:  You are unbelievable!  (Laughs)

Ditto to that scenario, Mishael?

MISHAEL:  Ditto. (Laughs)

So, what do you think of a Neil/Hilary pairing? Do you think these two would make a hot couple on Y&R?  Do you think that it won’t matter who they put Neil with because no one can compete with the Neil/Drucilla pairing? Will you be tuning into to see what happens tomorrow when Neil and Hilary visit The Price is Right?  Let us know your thoughts below!