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David Tom Speaks On His Return To The Young and the Restless As Billy Abbott!
Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com
In his first interview since taking over the role of Billy Abbott, for the second time in his career, Daytime Emmy winner David Tom spoke with TV Guide Magazine’s Michael Logan, about the upcoming “Billy” switch which has Tom replacing fan favorite and two-time Daytime Emmy winner, Billy Miller on the upcoming February 3rd episode of the number one soap opera!
As fans know, Miller opted to leave and not re-sign a new contract, and so Y&R chose to recast with none other than Mr. Tom! During his chat with TVG, David spoke of all of Billy Abbott’s hot story points that he is inheriting!
Chief among them, that Billy has closed in on Adam (Michael Muhney) for killing Delia and the extramarital fling Billy had with Kelly (Cynthia Watros). Plus, David reveals just how he ended up reclaiming the plum role! Here are a few excerpts below!
David on if Victoria (Amelia Heinle) will soon find out Billy had grief sex Kelly, and what that will do to their marriage … and if the audience should go easy on Billy for hitting the sheets with another woman: “They don’t call it daytime drama for nothing! It would be a mistake for me to take a step back and try to judge my character — I don’t think you can’t play him well if you do that — so I guess that’s up to the viewers to decide. But I will say that something very big is going to happen with this. A fuse has been lit and it’s getting closer and closer to an explosion.”
David on if he auditioned for the role of Billy, even though he played it before: “Actually, yes! But I was fine with that. I was in New York when they were holding auditions, so I put myself on tape and sent it in. The Billy recast was supposed to be a secret so they first told me I was auditioning for Paul’s son. I said, ‘Won’t that be kinda odd for me to come back to the show as someone different? And they were, like, ‘Naaah…don’t worry about it!’ (Laughs) Now we know why. They finally told me what was really going on the day before my screen test because they had to — it was a scene with Billy and Victoria talking about Delia.”
So, are you looking forward to seeing the story of Billy Abbott continue on Y&R in the very capable hands of David Tom? What do you think will happen when Victoria finds out that Billy slept with Kelly? What do you think will go down after Billy feels he has closure finding Delia’s killer in Adam? Is Adam the true killer, though? Weigh-in!
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Didn’t watch when he played Billy. I will miss Billy Miller.
love David Tom and look forward to seeing him again.
I liked him, too. Hope he has his act cleaned up though and doesn’t do what got him canned on “One Life to Live” in 2005.
I read rumors, but that aside, I really liked his portrayal of Paul Cramer on OLTL. He’s a very talented actor and had great chemistry with his co-stars.
Only problem is that he looks so much younger than his screen wife. But glad to see him back.
While David Tom is blessed (or cursed) with a babyface, he’s actually only 5 years younger than Amelia Heinle. Tom’s birthdate is March 23, 1978, while Heinle’s is March 17, 1973. What’s odd is that Billy Miller is actually about a year and a half YOUNGER than Tom, as his birthdate is September 17, 1979. For me, the storyline between Billy and Kelly is going to seem very awkward now, as Tom looks more like Cynthia Watros’ son instead of her lover. Then again, Watros is over 10 years older than Tom, having a birthdate of September 2, 1968, Don’t… Read more »
Yeah, Watros really does look older. Hey, a little make up might go a long way. And actually, come to think of it, wasn’t Victoria hooching around with Ryan and others while Billy was still in high school? So I guess she would be older than him. In the long run I’m glad they recast with the original actor. I normally hate recasts but this one I’m kind of excited about. No offense to Miller, who was fantastic.
Lol @ hooching around. Not that time makes any sense here…but in 1992 victoria had already been married. And on screen, Billy and friends graduated high school in 2002. So if any kind of a timeline is present, Victoria is at least 10 years older than Billy. But as we know…this is a show where major story keeps reminding us that Nicholas HAS to be at least 50 years old. For the uninitiated….it has been expressly stated that Summer was born AFTER Cassie died. We know that Cassie was 15, which would have made Nick & Sharon around 31 when… Read more »
@ Johnny: The reason Fen and Summer were SORAS’d and brought into the program is they’re both from JFP’s Hollywood Heights program, as is the kid who plays Noah (and looks nearly 30, which I believe he is). If you want to talk age differences, it kills me that they won’t let either Jack or Jill get older, even though they have kids (and Jill is a grandmother). I used to be a good 7 years younger than Jill, then, when she found a birth certificate, the date read “1958,” making her now 3 years younger than me! And the… Read more »
@wolfsmistress The ageing of Fen & Summer was under MAB’s watch JFP did recast Summer & Noah with HH people. But MAB did the ageing a matter of fact Summer was aged in 30 days from seven to 17 I think was so stupid. As much as I can’t stand JFP MAB & LML have their hands dirty also with stupid plots killing off characters etc.
I’m excited about David Tom returning as Billy. I think Billy Miller had been phoning it in for awhile. I really, REALLY want Billy out of Victoria’s orbit, though. This recast should be the end of the insipid *Villy*. I think the Billy character has been damaged by becoming so associated with the NEWMANS. He’s an ABBOTT.
Don’t care, no longer watching.
Let me guess: You tuned out when Michael Muhney got fired for sexual harassment.
Nope, you’re wrong on both counts. I quit watching when Michelle left. Having seen first hand what happens with JP at the helm, I knew when the first big player left it was only a matter of time before JP destroyed one more soap.
And two, no one really knows the truth as to why MM is gone, so basically you’re just repeating rumors.
Agree with you: no longer watching, DVR turned off of #YR. Yes I am a MM fan but I feel the handling of the alleged events that followed: with MM & HHK is not acceptable and that alone is the reason for me to stop watching. I have stopped watching before and restarted, maybe one day I will return. But for now I’m finished. I have been a fan for almost 40 years. I read online postings in reference to YR and the real life drama, so sad. I also watched Another World & Santa Barbara I was heart broken… Read more »
I don’t know how I will feel watching Billy not being my Billy..
One thing; he looks like a teenager lol ..
Really, he looked too young to be the troubled Billy, to be the Billy (man) I watched go through a ton of bad times..
Didn’t Billy and Kelly start making out then stop while on the couch together? What I saw was Billy coming to the realization what he was doing and stopped making out with Kelly before it went too far. Did I miss something?
I am really confused.
So did I!!! I mean, they finished their business and he didn’t zip anything up and she wasn’t pulling anything down so I don’t get how they did the deed.
That was my original impression too…that they stopped before going too far. 🙁
Yes! Very strange. The scene was a direct pick-up from the previous days episode so it really makes no sense.
It will take a bit but we will ease into it. Soapfans have to adapt to change . Good luck
I think you are going to discover that the character Kelly is a complete nut job/stalker etc. As far as David Tom looking to young for CW so does Billy Miller this woman is 10 years older then both actors and shows it she is an FOJ therefore she is going to get tons of airtime.
Sad to see Billy Miller go, but it will be great seeing the original Billy back.
He is a cutie, but he looks like he is 21 years old. Kelly looks like she is his mother and he looks too young for even Amelia. I wish him the best of luck on that sinking ship. I wont be watching his return since it is after Jan 30th.
No longer watching so don’t care but his sister Heather is the only reason to watch Bold And Beautiful she rocks and I never thought I’d say that!!
I agree the only positive thing they have going over there is HT. B&B title should be changed to B&H the Brooke & Hope show. To think this once half way decent soap has turned into two giggly hair throwing eyes squinting characters that are on the screen almost every day and if they are not they are in someone’s conversation.
Love David Tom, but won’t be watching after Jan 30th until Jill Farren Phelps is FIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it will be a long time before she goes if she brings them an emmy that is all they care about. She is here to stay she managed to wiggle her way out of this mess with MM and probably ruined his career in the process. The only thing that holds this show together is PB and his making everyone look good in scenes with him and one of the last true professionals on that show. I am truly proud of him and Sharon Case for keeping out of that circus over there.
David Tom is the original adult Billy; and for me, he IS Billy, just as Eileen Davidson has always been the only Ashley for me and Ashley Bashioum has been the only Mac. I’m very excited about his return and I’ll gladly replace one of those “boycotters”.
Oh yeah! Ashley Bashioum (is that how you spell it?). She was awesome!
Nothing againist DT ,but I won’t be watching as long as MICHAEL MUHNEY’S not there ,and JFP IS ,GR is .can’t STAND the site of EB unless MM IS THERE .SO I WON’T BE WATCHING.
Oh well.
He is not Billy, maybe younger brother. It will never work, sorry done with it all. Poor kid doesn’t haves prayer.
Something inside of me does not believe Adam really killed Delia. I believe the suspense has lead us the viewers to believe he did. I do have a suspicion about who did hit Delia. As for David atom replacing Billy Miller…….not sure until I see the change. I do love the current Billy and believe it will take a while for fans to adjust. As for the replacement of Michael Muhney……..no possibility of any other person to do the Adam role justice……
I meant to say, David Tom.
I won’t be a fan of Y&R after January 30th. They didn’t give Billy Miller the option that they have given other actors on the show of pursuing other projects while retaining their position with Y&R. That’s the reason Billy left. And since they fired Michael Muhney (who was the best actor to EVER play Adam and was the best actor on the show) they have lost me as a fan. And I know I’m not alone.
No Samantha you are not alone. A lot of us will be tuning out after Jan 30. With Michael Muhney gone, there is no reason to watch. It’s time Y&R bit the dust.
Would like to see Victor get his! Billy and Adam continually suffer with everyone’s condemnation while Victor painted as omniscient . He is dirty businessman and worse husband and father! Totally selfish!
The character of Billy was very different then. He was nice and well adjusted and non-troubled. When he returned under MAB’s regime, they completely retconned the character to be a hard-living, hard-partying, addictive womanizer. It will be interesting to see how David Tom is able to mesh the traits he brought with the ones that Billy Miller brought. The show had better make Kelly a raving whack job. The character is useless otherwise.
I know there have been some age remarks. Actually, I believe David Tom is older than Billy Miller in real life. Also, Amelia Heinle is older than Heather Tom in real life. As for the character age differences, when you ignore the SORAS issues, Victoria was born in the early 1980’s and I believe Billy was born around 1993 or so. Those are just estimates, since I’m only going by memory. I’m glad that Billy and Victoria do not have a natural child together, so here is my wish list: 1) Ashley Bashioum returns as Mac 2) Billy is reunited… Read more »
Oh, and 5) Michelle Stafford returns and is reunited with her soulmate Nick and that Sharon be redeemed and finally find true love with someone like Detective Chavez or a not-so-dead Carmine…… Just wishes. A guy can hope, right? GO SOAPS! And congratulations to all on the resurgent ratings. Well done!
OMG! Did anyone see that Y&R hit 6 million viewers? Polar vortex or not, WOW!
Let’s see what that number is Jan 31, after a lot of people tune out bc Michael Muhndy is no longer there to make the show interesting. With Stafford and Muhney gone, it’s time Y&R just died already. And don’t get me started on the lousy writing.
Those are what you’d call back in the day ratings!
I’m not an MM or an Adam fan. I don’t like JFP at all, but it was MAB’s regime that brought this legacy character back and painted him into a corner so many times, thus destroying the character. I don’t think a few vocal MM fans are going to do much to harm the ratings of this juggernaut. Y&R is bigger than any one actor or character.
I love Billy Miller and he has great chemistry with Amelia Heinle, Peter Bergman, Eric Braeden and everyone else. I will miss him enormously. I will really miss Billy and Victoria and their great chemistry. I also remember David Tom in the role, but I’m not sure how he will do this go round. I guess we shall see. Lastly, I agree with what people are saying. This Kelly looks much too old for Billy Miller, and even more so with David Tom. That storyline needs to end pronto.
David Tom is great and I watched him on the show before. He was also on OLTL playing opposite his real life sister Heather when she played Kelly Cramer.
I agree clh. I too enjoyed Staffords sassy nature, but I am infuriated about those bubbleheads firing michael nuhney. You are right, we don, t know what happened, but it was handled badly from the start. I won, t support a show like that. Besides MM was my first reason for watching. I, m tuning out after Jan. 30, like scores of others, and hope Y&R bites the dust and dies. I know I, m ready to put the first nail in their coffin.
I cannot fathom the logic of some people. For WHATEVER reason…Michael Muhney was let go. He is ONE actor who was on the show not even 5 full years. This is a SHOW with 42 years behind it and over 100 employees who work on it. I have seen so many posts on here wishing cancellation upon this show. So…because one actor lost his job…you are wishing that same fate on over a hundred others. How cruel and twisted to wish for such a thing in this day and age. You are WISHING unemployment on over a hundred people that… Read more »
Oh my brain if fully engaged, Johnny, but apparently there are a few things your swamp of a mind cannot fathom. One being the fact that it doesn’t matter how long Michael Muhney was on the show, the producers treated his termination poorly, as did several of the bone head, saggy bottom cast members, who should have kept their mouths shut. Another point you fail to “fathom” is the way the show has suffered since that twat of a producer got her death-grip on the show and dragged it down, along with numb brained writers incapable of creating interesting story… Read more »
Glad david tom is returning. But gonna miss billy miller. David tom is orginal adult actor and emy winner. Jfp is soild producer with a lot of problems on her hand and she not be blame for everything.
Funny thing the ratings are up! Guess all the free publicity is working.
That’s all the network cares about.
The show actually is pathetic, I have honestly tried to watch since I quit in October, but it isn’t worth my time and can’t keep me interested.
Billy Miller is the biggest loss along with MM.
So sad.
I still miss the late great Guiding Light and As The World Turns, but I don’t miss Y&R because the product has been so substandard.
I can’t believe they are doing such drastic changes all within two weeks by replacing such major roles. I have been in a struggle about watching the show for the past year, although I have watched it since it’s beginning , I believe it is time for me to step back and get into the real world and make my life relevant. The show will not be the same without these two pivotal actors. Bye Young and the Restless! Happy New Year!
Agree!
why should Billy be the only cast member to be caught in the act, so to speak? What about other cast such as Neil or Nick. they have both been guilty of adultery; and both are self-righteous characters. by the way, not impressed with the story lines so far…have been watching Y&R for almost 40 years and am thinking of no longer being a loyal patron. But Y&R is better than B&B — their actors/actresses really show their age!
kinda strange for david tom. He looks like victoria’s son, not her husband
I don’t think Adam killed Delia. The way it went down, he would have known he really did hit something and check all around the car. He saw the dog, swerved, and then got out to make Shute the dog was OK. Delia was on the other side of the car. If he thought he actually had hit something (heard a thud) , he would have look all around the car.
uggghhh… just learned this news… this is going to be awful… I think I’m done with Y&R!
Eileen Davidson is on her way to DAYS!!!
Adam and Billy will be in a car accident…Adam disappears or is presumed drowned if car goes in lake…Billy will wake up in hospital played by David Tom of course…just a guess!!!
I think Adam is alive and I don’t think he killed Dilia it was someone else and I think Victoria will leave Billy (finally) for the hot doctor who obviously has a crush on her.
I want them to bring Billy Miller back!!! This is ridiculous.. I don’t like the new Billy at all.. I’ve watched the young and restless for years.. I’m about to quit watching if they don’t bring him back..
Do the Y&R writers these days take the viewers for idiots? Billy did NOT have sex with Kelly. They were smooching on the couch and then stopped before it went too far. Now I thought I’d missed something after I heard days later that supposedly they had sex that day. It’s clear from others that nothing else happened. WT–? Couldn’t they have shot that scene if they wanted to write it that way later.