News
Stephen Nichols Talks About Playing Jeanne Cooper's On-Screen Son! Watch Sneak Peek From Y&R's Tribute Episode!


Courtesy/CBS
Get out your hankies for this preview clip for Tuesday’s upcoming special edition of The Young and the Restless.
On May 28th the number one soap will air A Tribute to Jeanne Cooper. As fans know, Jeanne passed away on May 8th and so the show will celebrate her life as the actors who worked with her so closely, and Jeanne’s real life children, talk about her in emotional moments throughout the hour long special.
In a sneak peek, The Hollywood Reporter has run a very touching clip of Stephen Nichols (Ex-Tucker), who discusses how he had lost his passion for acting, until he came to Y&R and connected in his first on-screen moment with Jeanne Cooper as his mother, in a pivotal scene between the two of them. Jess Walton, actor Michael Fairman, Bryton James, and Elizabeth Hendrickson are also seated listening to Nichols’ story about the one and only Cooper.
Watch it after the jump! Let us know what you thought of Stephen’s heartfelt account of working with Jeanne. And, do you miss him as Tucker McCall?
News
Y&R’s Colleen Zenk on the Flipside of Aunt Jordan Tormenting Nikki: “My Relationship with Melody Thomas Scott Has Just been Incredible Since I Got Here”

Viewers of The Young and the Restless were left in disbelief with the arrival of Aunt Jordan, who schemed to have recovering alcoholic, Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) kidnapped with an IV drip of booze flowing through her veins (and that’s just for starters).
When As the World Turns favorite Colleen Zenk was cast on Y&R, to portray the revenge-filled Aunt Jordan, the top-rated soap got a bit of a spring back into its step. Zenk spoke this week with CBS San Francisco affiliate KPIX on her return to daytime and how she is getting along with the cast and crew at the CBS daytime drama.
In speaking with KPIX anchor, Gianna Franco, Colleen expressed: “Tthe fact that they welcomed me with such open arms and love, it really freed me up, because of how they received me and made me feel incredibly welcome, and not just the cast. I mean, the entire production, the crew, the staff, the directors, the writers … everybody from the top down.”

Photo: JPI
Hard to believe, but as Colleen shared, throughout her years in daytime she had never spoken with Y&R’s iconic star, Melody Thomas Scott, who she now has a budding on-screen rivalry with. Things have certainly changed.
Colleen added, “My relationship with Melody Thomas Scott has just been incredible since I got here. She and I had never had a conversation before until the day I walked on the set. It’s just been fabulous. I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying that.”

Photo: CBS
And walk in she did! Zenk shared that her casting had been kept top-secret at the show. No one really knew she was on the call sheet or the cast list at the time. To keep it mum, Colleen revealed, “My name was not anywhere. They did not have “Colleen Zenk” in print. So, when I finally did show up on November 17th (on-air) it was shock.”
Check out the segment where Colleen speaks on her Y&R adventure thus far below.
Are you looking forward to seeing … Nikki get her revenge on Aunt Jordan for all she put her through? More scenes between Colleen and Melody? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Guiding Light
Matt Bomer Reveals More On Why He Turned Down ‘Barbie’ Role as a Ken

Guiding Light alum Matt Bomer (ex-Ben Reade) is currently receiving rave reviews for his performance in Showtime’s Fellow Travelers and the motion picture Maestro.
However, on the December 6th episode of The Tonight Show, Bomer revealed more intel on why he decided to pass on an opportunity to appear in the summer blockbuster Barbie. Matt was in heavy consideration to play a Ken in Greta Gerwig’s smash hit starring Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie.
The in-demand star told Jimmy Fallon,”I had some projects in development, and I wasn’t sure if they were gonna happen or when they were gonna happen. So, I auditioned. I mean, I dressed up like Malibu Ken. I dressed up like Business Suit Ken. I had like four different looks going on. I have pictures of this.” Bomer shared that, “he really got into it.”

Photo: Warner Bros/Mattel
In the end, the timing just wasn’t right for Bomer who shares three sons with his husband, Simon Halls. Matt expressed, “I was talking with Greta, I was looking forward to doing it and then the things in development came to fruition, and I would have been away from my family for a year, which was just too much time away.”
As for how the cast shook out for Barbie, Bomer gave a thumbs up, “I think they made a perfect movie, and it was cast perfectly.”

Photo: AP
Bomer does not regret his decision because in the end he “got to do Fellow Travelers and Maestro and spend time with my family.” In Fellow Travelers, Matt stars in what he deemed on The Tonight Show as ‘the gay The Way We Were.” Bomer plays opposite Jonathan Bailey in the series. In Maestro, Bomer plays clarinettist David Oppenheim, who was one of Leonard Bernstein’s lovers.

Photo: CBS
On Guiding Light, daytime soap fans remember that Bomer played Ben Reade for two years from 2001-2003. The character was revealed to be a male prostitute and a serial killer before his death. Matt had told the producers before he exited, “Just throw the kitchen sink at me, and they did.”
Watch Matt’s segment on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon below. Now let us know, do you wish he would have played a Ken in the Barbie movie? Have you caught his performances in ‘Fellow Travelers’ and soon Maestro? What do you recall about his work as GL’s troubled Ben Reade? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Breaking News
Ellen Holly, Groundbreaking Actress of ‘One Life to Live’, Passes Away at 92

Ellen Holly, who portrayed Carla Gray on ABC’s One Life to Live, had died at the age of 92. Her death was confirmed by her cousin Grant Shipp via his Facebook page. The groundbreaking actress passed away on December 5th.
Holly appeared on One Life from October 1968 through December 1980, and from May 1983 through December 1985. In his post, Shipp related of Holly, “She was a pioneer in daytime television. Starring on One Life to live for 20 years. Playing Lawrence Fishburns mother on the show. She appeared in several movies, and performed on stage with the greatest black actors of her generation. Sidney Poitier, Harry Beafonte, Cicely Tyson, Robert Hooks, James Earl Jones to name a few. You had One Life to Live and it was amazing Life. You were simply one of the best. Now you know the secret. God rest your soul.”
Following several theatre roles, Holly came to One Life to Live and took on the role of Carla Benari. Secretly, she was born Clara Gray, and eventually went by the name of Carla Gray. Agnes Nixon, iconic creator of the soap opera, wanted to tell an important social issue of the times, when in story, Carla was passing herself as white, in order to get a job. This was also an issue Holly faced in real-life and shared publicly in an essay she wrote for the New York Times, “How Black Do You Have To Be?”

Photo: ABC
In story for the first five months, the audience thought Carla was white. However, in a landmark moment, Carla came face-to-face with her mother, Sadie (Lillian Hayman) who was a housekeeper. Her mother felt she betrayed her race. Carla was embroiled in an interracial relationship with a white doctor, Jim Craig (Nat Polen), who was her boss at the hospital. Caral also was involved with another resident Prince who was Black. After breaking it off with Jim, Carla came clean about her race.
Eventually, Holly would star opposite Daytime Emmy-winner, Al Freeman Jr., and the love story of Carla and Ed Hall, became a fan favorite in the soaps earlier years. The couple adopted a teenaged son, Joshua played by now motion picture star, Laurence Fishburne. When Ed and Carla’s relationship fell apart, she eventually remarried Dr. Jack Scott played by Arthur Burghardt.

Photo: ABC
Holly said in a 1979 interview with Ebony magazine, “There are enormous stretches in this country where they don’t know anything about Black people…Our viewers tend to regard us as neighbors. People at the supermarket, total strangers, will throw their arms around you and treat you as a neighbor…My mother on the show has been a domestic and is now head of the housekeeping staff at the hospital; my ex-husband on the show is a policeman, and Arthur [Burghardt] plays a brilliant heart surgeon…I think we’ve opened up our viewers’ heads a little bit more to the variety that exists in the Black race. And the more that happens, the slower somebody will be — when they’re confronted with any given Black person — to jump to conclusions about who and what that person is.”
After Holly departed the show in 1980, she later returned to Llanview in 1983, at that time, Carla was now an assistant district attorney. She also was reunited with Ed Hall. Ellen last played the role in 1985.
Share your remembrances for One Life to Live’s Ellen Holly via the comment section and make sure to check out Holly speaking on the importance of her early storyline with the Television Academy below.
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NewsDecember 1, 2023
RATINGS: The Young and the Restless Hits Five-Month High in Total Viewers
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And to think we lost this great actor SN all because of personal vendettas, I truly hope they bring him back for the on air death of JC. We as viewers deserve the petty BS to be put aside for the Duchess!
Personal vendettas? Doug Davidson, Jess Walton, and Melody Thomas Scott have worked on Y&R from 25 -35 years and hardly get any airtime..now that’s an issue.
Stephen Nichol’s Tucker ran for 3 years, exactly like 100s of other actors over Y&R’s 40 years to date so far…NOT an issue. Stephen Nichols is NOT a vet of Y&R. The show owes him nothing. If they need him for the funeral story-so be it, but otherwise there is NO reason what-so-ever for anyone at Y&R to feel obligated.
The total destruction of Katherine & Jill’s past in order to replace Tucker/Devon as her family was the worst chapter in Chancellor history. I’m hoping that Kay’s Will restores her family to what Bill Bell built and developed for her.
Please spare us your diatribes at this time! Really inappropriate to bring up your ‘issues’ with SN in these comments. Let it go and keep it about Jeanne Cooper!
Liza…well said! I wholeheartedly agree with your statement…Jill Foster Abbott needs to be restored to her position and carry on the legacy. My choice is pronto return Trisha Cast as Nina to inherit Kay’s half of the mansion…Jill vs Nina it continues…recast Chance immediately….he & Phillip III are true heirs. Have Jill interact more wAbbotts especially Billy, Jill needs to be up in Billy’s life again knowing the signs of Billy’s gambling addiction. Let Jill be a force again and not a side player. I would love if YR gave us a deep story in the aftermath of Katherine’s death the grieving Jill. How Jill realizes how Katherine was a mentor and teacher as well the furious tormentor and scheming bitch she could be with Jill…all these emotional beats needs to be played for the viewers to grieve Jeannie’s death properly and at the same time enjoy the story unfolding about the death of Katherine Chancellor….but the best way to do this type of story JFP & JG must have Jess on contract and give her the same deal as Steve Burton.
THIS was an important story to be told for lifelong fans. We always wondered what happened to the child she gave up. The dynamic between these two, the gutt wrenching turmoil, her guilt, his anger, both of their saddness over lost time, was MAGNIFICENT! It was lovely to hear his account of spending time with her, and what it meant to him personally. The Devon connection I agree was stupid and unnecessary and nothing Bill Bill would have done (Too convenient the Winters kid is a Chancellor too????) But I am happy they brought him in to speak…and he should be back on the show running Chancellor now! Would LOVE to see it go full circle like that! I am also hoping to see Brock comment during the special, and Phillip….You MUST remember these are the people she shared airtime with, and were essential to telling HER story. Nina should definately be here, as well as Esther, Victor, Nikki, Paul, Michael, Would love to see Rex from the old days at the funeral as a ghost, and Phillip Sr. Oldschool fans are greatly respected by honoring her whole career, all the cast who played opposite her, not just the current cast memebers. It is still the 40th year, so it would be a continuation of the celebration–and we are celebrating this wonderful woman’s life!
Says the one who hates and is obsessed with Mr. Nichols. Stephen is a well respected and liked veteran of the soap genre and Jeanne clearly was quite fond of him as he was of her. Very much apprpriate that he was part of the tribute and the character of Tucker is much needed on the show. Tucker was the best character introduced to YR in years and the pairing with Ashley was amazing until TOTB screwed it up so that ED could transfer to Days.
It’s so embarrassing to see the fuss made over Nichols with respect to Jeannie Cooper’s passing. Whether you loved or hated his time at Y&R (and there were many in both camps), the focus should be on Jeannie Cooper.
The character of Tucker was a fail. SN may be a great actor, & may be well respected, but Tucker wasn’t his best role and I’m not alone in thinking that. SN submitted himself for an Emmy for the last two years for his role as Tucker yet he failed to get a nomination. Although that can happen, I’ve never noticed anyone but his long time fans rave about him in this role.
Look at the Golden Derby website. It handicaps the Emmy’s for fun. But the results are telling. “The experts”, “the editors” and others, ranked him DEAD LAST in the actor category.
Jason Thompson 27/10
Peter Bergman 9/2
Doug Davidson 5/1
John McCook 6/1
Maurice Benard 10/1
Roger Howarth 12/1
Christian LeBlanc 33/1
Michael Muhney 33/1
Don Diamont 50/1
Stephen Nichols 100/1
Not ONE of the expert picked him for nomination:Nelson Branco/Soap Opera Uncensored, Jamey Giddens/Daytime Confidential, Dan Kroll/Soap Central Roger Newcomb/We Love Soaps, and Tom O’Neil & Paul Sheenon/Golden Derby. Not one of the editors or users chose him for nomination either. The SAME happened in 2012.
Again, why are you using this space to trash an actor instead of honoring Jeanne?? Thought you were a fan of hers? But here you go trashing one of her beloved co-stars instead of focusing on her and the lovely sentiments that Mr. Nichols expressed in the clip! Shame on you!
First of all his statement about JC was lovely. Second I was implying if they do have an on screen death for her they need to bring him back for it also Brock & Mac. The EP at Y&R does not care for him I know that I just was saying for the sake of the show bring them back for closure. Do this one last thing for Jeanne Cooper.
Liza, honey, please try and show some respect. This isn’t about nominations or predictions, personal vendettas, nor is it about Jill’s future on the show. This is about a great actress who will no longer grace out screens, yet leaves behind a wonderful legacy with the people she worked with. Why must you take away from that? This is not the time or the forum for such ludicrous rants. Save it for another time and another place, and for now, please show Ms. Cooper the respect she deserves. Stephen Nichols did an excellent job in honoring her. Please extend the same courtesy and not derail this tribute. Ms. Cooper and her fans deserve no less.
GH & Days must have the same vendetta since both have stories running & love interests thathave to do with his former character. His YR bunch is gone. Harmony, Ashley, Abby, Gen, Kay. Devon is never on. No reason for Tucker to be around anymore.
Agreed… he had his time, and it came and went. It’s ugly to use this opportunity to bash him, and ugly to use it to promote him.
Delia, I agree, but the question was posed by Mr. Fairman as to whether readers missed Tucker. There’s a line in answering that question that some have crossed though. I agree wholeheartedly that the focus should be to the greatest extent on Jeanne Cooper!
I watched the tribute yesterday and was moved to tears at the end. I loved hearing about this supportive, funny, talented, unstoppable woman! What a joy and privilege it must’ve been to know her and work with her! I still can’t believe she’s gone. 🙁
That is so touching. Just beautiful.
i truly felt every word he said in my inner being – yes i miss stephen nichols so much – i don’t care what soap he ends up on as long as he lands somewhere………….
I love hearing the sweet things all the actors remember about Jeanne. I can’t wait to see the tribute. But NO, I don’t miss him as Tucker McCall.
I much preferred William Russ and was very sorry to see him go. He had better chemistry with JC and romantic chemistry with Jess Walton. I was a big mistake to re-cast.
Ya know what? That’s not what this interview is about.
Agreed! (However, I do think he was the best Tucker, and their relationship was touching.)
Did you read the whole article? Michael Fairman asks ” And, do you miss him as Tucker McCall? ” He is asking for reader response on the matter and I am answering HIS question on HIS website.
This is about a wonderful woman who is missed by those who loved,knew, and her fans.
Let’s remember that.
Rest in peace .
It saddens me that a supposed fan of Jeanne Cooper’s is using her tribute to promote her agenda! Really inappropriate. Disgusting actually.
The discussion IS appropriate because the the author of this piece is asking his readers if we miss SN/Tucker on Y&R (on his own website.)
However he did NOT ask if we thought Y&R screwed over Stephen Nichols. I don’t know where this notion comes from. Didn’t he finish his full 3 year contract? Many actors don’t get that luxury and are cut before it’s up. It saddens me that fans of Stephen Nichols would use Jeanne Cooper death as an opportunity to get him back on the show.
You know what I’m not going to further this discussion!
Jeanne, you are dearly missed by your loyal fans! I have the deepest respect for you and all who participated in the tribute honoring you for the exceptional woman and actress you were! Your legacy will live on in our hearts!
I hope this comments sections flourishes with more positivity and actual dialogue about Jeanne!
Just so classless and inappropriate at a time like this. Please at least show some respect for Ms Cooper. She was beloved by many and deserves all the accolades.
Let it go. Her sons, Brock and Tucker should be there for the funeral, along with the characters that were closely connected to her. I think it should be Nichols who returns instead of William Russ, another good actor, because he worked closely with Ms. Cooper, to build the mother and son relationship.
The passing of one heck of an actress as well as a mighty “fine” human being, Mother, and thespian to “all” she touched, what a legacy. Our ‘Queen’, the most remarkable Ms. Jeanne, will be and IS so terribly ‘missed’, but we will forever remember and pay homage to “her”, I “hope”, everyone will join “in”, and make whatever donation “you can”, to Red Cross, in her “name”, for all those who are “so suffering”,[in and around Oklahoma,]- we can carry “on” her “love and kindness” SHE had in this thing we call-…life. We honor “her”, via doing “something” w/ that “love”, for “Another”. God Bless and keep “you”, Ms. Jeanne, you will NEVER be forgotten!
I love Stephen Nichols. He needs to be back on daytime as Patch or Stephan!
Nichols is one of the most dynamic actors in soap history, and his scenes with Jeanne Cooper were electric. I will always love Steve and Kayla, but he had great chemistry with Eileen Davidson. So what did Y&R do? Put Tucker in a coma, fire ED and destroy Tucker and Ashley, and finally fire him and have the character limp out of town. C’est triste.
Wow… that was so heartfelt and… words are escaping me… endearing and very appreciative and powerful. I only wish Jeanne could hear all the beautiful and fun things her castmates are saying and felt about working with her and being friends with her… I will hope she is aware and was watching over the taping of those shows!!! What a wonderful lady and actress… one show doesn’t seem to be enough!
Very well said Stephen!!!
Well at least the ptb at Y&R had the decency to include SN in the tribute show for Jeanne. And SN is all class for accepting despite having been given the shaft from that show.
What lovely words from Stephen Nichols – another testament to the wonderful talent of Ms. Jeanne Cooper.
You will be forever missed Grand Lady.
Lovely words describing the connection these two wonderful performers had from the beginning. Their natural dynamic showed on screen in each and every scene they shared. The characters they portrayed had a difficult, layered relationship which Stephen and Jeanne played beautifully. No matter the harshness of the words in the script, they played the undertones of love being held back for a myriad of reasons so well. I’m glad Stephen’s passion for acting was reignited by working with Jeanne Cooper. Very high and well deserved praise!! We miss you Jeanne!!!
I hope to see Stephen come back as Tucker at least for the funeral of his mother, Katherine. It’s only fitting.
Beautifully stated Kat.
Thanks Jillanne! I can’t wait to see the whole tribute. Though it will be very sad, I love that those that worked with her will be sharing their memories of her.
Such heartfelt words by such an extraordinary actor. It’s obvious he and Ms. Cooper shared more than just scenes. I am grateful as a viewer that I was treated to two incredible talents. I do hope he will return to Y&R, but wherever he lands, I will watch. I only wish we had more time with Jeanne Cooper. She is an icon that won’t be forgotten. Beautiful!
Yes, indeed their time together ended too soon!
I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to watch Jeanne and Stephen act together as mother and son. Every scene was honest and genuine. Not a single one of their scenes together was phoned in. They had obvious chemistry as mother/son, and reading their comments about each other thru the years, they had an obvious respect for each other personally and professionally. Stephen’s words about this wonderful woman really touched a chord in me. I may not be happy with TPTB right now, but I respect and appreciate them for having Stephen in to celebrate Jeanne’s life with the cast and her family. I will always be a Steve and Kayla fan and wish so much that they get more and proper attention on Days of our Lives, but watching Kay and Tucker, that was a story that was worth watching, too, and I really wish he’d come to that show alot sooner as her son and given us alot more of their dynamic.
Having them work together longer would’ve been wonderful!
Very touching words from a wonderful man. I only hope that Jeanne sees this, and all the wonderful things her costars and friends have said about how positively she affected their lives. I can’t wait to see the entire tribute.
Very touching clip! Such high praise bestowed upon Jeanne! Bravo Stephen Nichols! I bet she was every bit the inspiration. It showed in all their scenes together. I will miss Jeanne on Y&R. There will be a huge void that will never be filled! I’m glad, however that Stephen and Jeanne got the opportunity to work together. Looks like they enjoyed and respected each other immensely!
Hope to see Tucker as well as others return for Katherine’s funeral service.
Very touching. Thanks for the hankie warning, Michael; it was definitely needed. I will miss Jeanne Copper/Kay so much. Y&R will not be the same without her.
I would absolutely love to see Stephen Nichols/Tucker return. With so much left unresolved between Tucker and Kay, the material practically writes itself; and I can only imagine what SN could do with it!
That was very heartfelt. I can’t stop crying. Our grand dame, Duchess will be sorely missed. Thanks for sharing such moving comments. I feel like I have lost a member of my own family. Her class, style and strength always touched me, even as a child. I can vividly remember the face lift story line being real and not really understanding as a child what that meant, but I do remember everyone in my family saying how innovative that was. She was a trailblazer and her immense presence will be always missed. I pray that we have a memorial for her every year so to continue her awesome legacy to those who didn’t have the blessing to have seen her in action. I know the great beyond is even greater now. RIP Mrs. C.
Stephen Nichols is one of the best actors. He is very much missed. I have lost
my interest in Y & R since he left. Please bring him back.