As last week came to a close, Roger Howarth (Matt Clark, The Young and the Restless) found himself in the winner’s circle for the first in 32 years after winning the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series at the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards which streamed live on the NATAS You Tube channel.

Howarth, who debuted on Y&R back in 2025 as a recast Matt Clark, and caused havoc for the likes of Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow), Sharon Collins (Sharon Case), Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) Noah Newman (Lucas Adams), set the record for the longest drought between acting wins for male actor at the Daytime Emmys.

Ironically, on the female side, Beth Maitland won Supporting Actress for her role as Traci Abbott on Y&R,  which was her second, some 41-years after her first victory setting the actress record of longest breaks between wins.

Photo: JPI

Soap fans have loved Howarth for decades and he is still most widely known for his performances as Todd Manning on One Life to Live. It was on One Life, he took home his first gold statuette in the now defunct Younger Actor category back in 1994.

Michael Fairman TV caught-up with Roger now that the dust settled to talk about his Emmy-winning evening, setting the record, how he feels about portraying Matt Clark now, and those who made an impact on him along the way; chief among them, the one and only Erika Slezak (ex-Viki, One Life to Live).

Howarth shared he was aware of the 32-year gap between his last Emmy win going into the night, expressing, “Yes (laughs) I had an idea about. The passage of time for me was not about the Emmy. It was about the fact that the last time I won one, my son wanted an autograph from Big Bird. And if Big Bird were still there, I would get it for his child. So, that’s the passage of time for me. I measure my life in children.”

Photo: NATAs

HEY MA! I MADE IT!

Roger said the moment his name was called he does remember, and it was not a blur as some winners will say when the envelope is ripped open, “I remember it because it was very sweet,” he added. “I saw the look on my wife Cari’s (Stahler) face and Cari let me know and it was sweet.”

Later, after exiting the stage at the Emmys, Roger received a very special call: “At some point, I looked at my phone and kind of saw what was happening. I did see that my mom called me at 6:45, which is just adorable. It made me really happy.”

Comparing 1994 to 2026 Emmy wins, Roger said, “In terms of the similarity between the two experiences, in both times I felt genuinely happy to be part of a cast. It felt really nice to be able to publicly say how much I enjoyed my work and the people that I work with. In terms of like nerves, I have not developed as a human being at all. I was equally unprepared for the excitement. It was nice that I can still be thrilled and excited, and confused and all those things that come with it.”

Photo: JPI

THE SCENES THAT WON SUPPORTING ACTOR GOLD

Speaking on the scenes that won him Emmy gold, Howarth shared, “It was a really nice day. Owen Renfroe directed the scenes in a very small space with four actors: Matt Cohen (Detective Burrow), Lucas Adams, Tamara Braun and myself.”

“It was a day when the subject matter was Sienna and Noah realizing that Matt knows about their relationship. It was a fun day to shoot and it felt very cooperative, and felt like we were all trying to do something and it felt special.”

ROCKSTAR JACKET VIBES

Michael Fairman TV also informed Howarth that he made our annual Best Dressed Men at the Daytime Emmys, with his very cool jacket that wowed the carpet and on-stage.

“I got it at John Varvatos in Century City. Tal, who I think is the manager there, was just amazing,” recalled Roger. “I didn’t know what to wear at the Emmys, and he was like, ‘Put this coat on.’ And then, I just really liked it. My wife liked it and and he was like, ‘You’re not buying anything else. You have to get this.’ He was really sweet. He told me that he went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and he texted me, ‘I stole your vibe. I’m wearing exactly the same thing!'”

“The buying of the jacket was a big part of the positive experience I had last week. I justified the cost in my own brain by saying that I would give it to my son as a Christmas gift, but now I think I might just keep it!”

Photo: JPI

So, will Roger put his new Emmy next to his 1994 gold statuette? Not so fast! “I do have it (the other Emmy) but it’s in storage. It’s a little worse for wear,” revealed Howarth. “It’s broken … held together with blue painter’s tape and the name tags have fallen off. The glue gave up. It’s not a young Emmy. My Emmy is old enough to drink!”

SOAP START AS VIKI’S BROTHER, TODD MANNING, THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

One Life to Live would not have been the same without the leading heroine of the show, Victoria Lord and her troubled and misunderstood half-brother, Todd Manning. But together, Erika Slezak and Roger Howarth lit up the screen.

“I think anyone who gets to spend any time with Erika will say she’s lovely. There are definitely points along the way that have impact where I know somebody else has had impact on me. And the moment that I started working with Erika was pivotal, and then there’s Vicki’s acceptance of Todd, which let the audience know that Todd was a viable character on a canvas with a lot of other characters.”

Roger recalled, “I felt like I had arrived because I got to work with Erika Slezak. She was always fun, always a pleasure, consistently, solidly, dependably brilliant.”

Photo: JPI

Fast-forward to when Howarth became the third actor to take on the role of the Nick Newman’s nemesis on Y&R just over year ago. The fan favorite said he felt, “Zero trepidation’ for being a recast. “I was all in from the from the beginning. I think Josh Griffith (former head writer, Y&R) wrote a really strong entrance and immediately I got to work with Tamara Braun, Sharon Case, Joshua Morrow and Lucas Adams and it felt great from the beginning. I didn’t have time to be trepidatious.”

With all the recent knocks to the head and the battling demons within Matt Clark, Howarth has a bring-it-on attitude at Y&R. Recent scenes had Matt talking to himself in a motel room and fans did not know what version of Matt would emerge. “I enjoy every minute of it. I like how dynamic Matt is. I really appreciate the writing. I think he’s really interesting to play.”

He added, “I think difficulty can kind of sneak up on you when you’re working. If you have to walk into a room crowded with people and say “the ambulance is here,” that can go sideways. I think they’re all challenges and they’re all kind of unique. They are like these little puzzles  I like all of them. On that particular day, Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe, Y&R) was directing and she was great and gave me really clear direction that this what this moment demands, and this is what we’re asking of you to play Matt this way, and this particular thing, and it was all plotted out, and I didn’t want to let her down.”

As for his Genoa City co-stars, Roger added, “First of all, I just love Joshua Morrow. It kind of begins and ends there. He’s a really lovely dude. I really enjoy working with him and getting to know him a little bit. He’s always fun and always positive and works really hard. I think he’s a terrific actor. He’s the best. And Sharon Case, she’s been so sweet, really terrific and lovely to work with. I’ve really had a great time here. Like, it’s good.”

Photo: JPI

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR MATT CLARK UNDER NEW HEAD WRITERS?

Starting on-screen on November 11, the new material from the co-head writing team of Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor will debut, Howarth has his own thoughts on what he hopes is down the road for Matt on Y&R.

“Part of being in an actor in serial television is to surrender to whatever the writing Gods have in store for you. And I’m down for any and all of it. I’ve gotten to know Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor a little bit. I think they’re really lovely and smart and talented. I would love for Matt Clark to continue to grow and change in any direction,” said Roger.

Photo: JPI

A DAYTIME ORIGINAL

We expressed to Roger how his over three decades on and off in daytime drama have truly been memorable and that so many fans are always intrigued and excitement to see him return to their screens in whatever role he plays. Those roles have included: One Life’s Todd, As the World Turns’ Paul Ryan, General Hospital’s Franco Baldwin and Dr. Austin Gatlin-Holt, and now Y&R’s Matt.

“Hearing you saying that now, I think that makes me feel great and I appreciate you saying it. I really love what I do,” shared Roger. “I just feel lucky that I still get to do it. I don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about all of the times that I’ve had a chance to sing at the ball. I’m just really grateful that I’m still in the game and I really want to keep trying.”

For a preview of what’s coming up for Matt, Howarth teased, “I don’t know how to categorize what’s ahead for the character. I know that I’m in good hands and that I look forward to anything else I might get to do, so please, stay tuned.”

So, what do you think about Roger winning his second Emmy in his career for his performance as Matt Clark on The Young and the Restless? What would you like to see happen to Matt in story in the months to come? What are your thoughts when you look back at the brother/sister duo of Viki and Todd on One Life to Live? Weigh-in via the comment section.

When Beyond the Gates concluded last week’s Friday cliffhanger, Hayley (Marquita Goings) received some life-altering news! Up in her suite at the Bowman, she had decided to take a home pregnancy test. As she watched the timer, nervously, when it was time to check the results, it confirmed she was indeed carrying a child. This causes Hayley great angst as she threw it to the wall and screamed, “No!”

This development sideswipes and turns her next move upside down! Previously, Hayley had met with her cousin Randy (Maurice P. Kerry) who finally presented her with the requested new ID to start a new life, and for her to go after another rich man and scam him, like she tried to do with Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett).

Hayley’s new identify was to be that of Carey Jenner, …a nanny! Hayley didn’t want anything to do with kids. Randy had told her it was the perfect identify to infiltrate a wealthy man’s home and heart. Now, that Hayley’s pregnant presumably with Bill’s child, what will be her next move?

Photo: CBS

THE LATEST IN THE LIFE OF HAYLEY LAWSON HAMILTON

During a livestream chat with Marquita Goings on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel, the actress talked about what Hayley pregnancy would mean, what other men in the Fairmont Crest universe might she set her sights on, and her odd, yet “friendly” relationship with Leslie (Trisha Mann-Grant), plus working with her leading man, Timon Kyle Durrett, who this week’s goes for gold in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category at the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

Opening up about Hayley realizing she may be pregnant which prompted the home pregnancy test, Goings shared, “That was good timing with Leslie. With her saying, ‘Oh, you’re gaining weight,’ and Hayley just has to go throw up.”

Now that it has been confirmed that Hayley is pregnant, it will be interesting to see how she plays this off, because as Goings stated, “She said she was pregnant already twice, I think. She was back and forth with Bill, like, ‘Oh, I’m pregnant, and then all this happened, and then losing the baby at Uptown.’ I guess now we’ll have to see (how this plays out).”

Courtesy/CBS

RANDY AND LESLIE UNLIKELY ALLIES?

As for her cousin, Randy, with whom Hayley keeps asking for new passports and fake ID’s, does she have any true familial feelings for him? “A little bit. I hate to say it,” shared Goings. “I feel like Hayley definitely loves her cousin. She appreciates her cousin, but they’ve always had this dynamic to where she’s bossed him around. She’s always helped him in a sense, although he’s helping her too, but when she scams, she’s the one going through everything, making the money. She’s playing him, but deep down, she cares about Randy.”

Beyond the Gates fans love the soapy goodness of two bad girls seemingly becoming frenemies when Leslie paid Hayley’s bail! Now the two chat over food and sundaes, as Hayley’s keeps getting sick at the sight of anything she would have to put down her stomach due to her pregnancy.

“Hayley doesn’t fully trust Leslie. She feels like she’s a scammer and they’re kinda two peas in a pod to some degree,” declared Marquita. “She probably doesn’t trust her because of Hayley knowing her own ways. She’s like, ‘Okay, why does she want to be close?’ But then it’s like, ‘Oh, wait! She bailed me out of jail of all people!”

Photo: CBS

TIMON KYLE DURRETT GOES FOR GOLD

While becoming pregnant may have given Hayley a second chance at a marriage of convenience to Bill, who else might Hayley target next? Goings weighed-in, “It definitely needs to be someone with some wealth because of her being money hungry. Like Isaiah (Lami), he doesn’t have anything. So he wouldn’t do her any good. And of course, he could be like eye candy, but he’s already in a relationship and he doesn’t have the tools. So, I don’t know. I don’t know if it would have to be someone new?”

Marquita also had high-praise for her co-star, Timon Kyle Durrett and was thrilled for his Daytime Emmy nomination. “It’s deserving. I cannot wait for the Emmys. I will be there. I have most of my scenes with Timon and I have a lot of fun with him. I also love my scenes with Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree) too. Just working with Karla alone is a joy. She’s amazing. I will say this, being my first time being on a soap, just watching her handle the pacing and just learning all the things, is a great example of how to do this medium.”

So, what do you think of Hayley being pregnant? Will she get Bill to take her back if she is carrying his child? Do you think it could be another man’s baby? What do you think of Hayley being frenemies with Leslie? Are you rooting for Timon Kyle Durrett and Karla Mosley at this week’s Daytime Emmys? Weigh-in below.

The motto, “I believe in Joe Hendry” is catching on even outside the WWE Universe! The Scottish-born pro wrestler is having a banner October (well not so much on this week’s Monday Night Raw), but with the release of his new album Beyond Belief and appearing in WWE’s first-ever microdrama Agent of Shadows in its partnership with vertical leader ReelShort.

On Friday, October 23, ReelShort launched Agent of Shadows on its mobile-first storytelling platform that is available in more than 100 countries, reaching more than 70 million monthly active users.

Hendry joins fellow WWE stars Drew McIntrye, Jacob Fatu, plus Booker T, Michael Hayes and Nikkita Lyon and more in the cast as they mix it up with microdrama leading men, Chase Mattson and Marc Herrman, in the action-packed series.

Photo: ReelShort

A NEW FRONTIER FOR WWE SUPERSTARS

As the story begins, the world’s greatest secret agent must protect and care for his 6-year-old daughter while posing as her nanny. Now, without revealing his true identity, he must win his daughter’s (and her mother’s) trust, while secretly thwarting corrupt suitors, mafioso strongmen and even a megalomaniacal billionaire who’s using his family to get to him. What could go wrong?

Michael Fairman TV chatted with Hendry on his ascension and rise in the ranks of the WWE, bringing his brand of satire, music and singing to sports entertainment, plus his thoughts on branching out into the acting world of motion pictures, microdramas and more. The full conversation can be seen with Joe on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel.

Photo: ReelShort

JOE HENDRY ON PLAYING … JOE HENDRY

Unlike the other WWE superstars in Agent of Shadows, Hendry is taking on the role of … himself! Seems like it may not be then been too much of a stretch to play or is it? Joe explained, “I don’t know how much of this I’m allowed to reveal, so I’m sure there’ll be a lot of fun in discovering what that is. But what I will reveal is what I think is the best thing about my involvement … everyone else plays a character and I play Joe Hendry. So, I’m very pleased about that.”

Speaking on his background, Joe explained, “For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been a wrestler for 14 years, but I kind of had a mainstream crossover in 2024 when my music video became a meme. It did really well in the charts.  I’ve now been able to carry that forward and I’m in one of those positions where I can just appear as myself.”

“This is the first film-type project I’ve been a part of,” elaborated Hendry. “I think that’s why WWE stars crossover so well into movies, because we’re so used to having to do everything in one take, whereas in Hollywood you may get as many takes as you need. In microdramas, you can look at these chapters as well. So, let’s say you manage to get through the first give chapters on your way to work or whatever, you can always come back to that. I think’s its a smart combination for storytelling.”

Photo: WWE

NEW LP TRACK LIST INCLUDES ‘FIRE LOGAN PAUL’

Back on October 5, Hendry released his LP Beyond Belief filled with hilarious and clever send-ups. The track list includes: Tables, Ladders and Chairs, Fire Logan Paul (the social media phenom and pro wrestler), Give Joe Hendry Every Single Belt and more. Hendry added one more favorite, that is his latest single and music video!

“The other main one is If You Don’t Love Joe Hendry, and the lyrics are, ‘If you don’t love Joe Hendry, then, you’re a useless piece of … ‘ So, I think we should fire Logan Paul, and I think we should give Joe Hendry every single belt. I just think these are sensible messages we have to get out to the world.”

The album was completed in what some would consider lighting speed! “We had a lot of fun recording these, but it was done so fast. It was actually a lot of pressure to get it done. I wrote the album except Fire Logan Paul in a span of four days.  It was pretty intense. We recorded all the vocals in five hours, which is insane,” recalled Joe. “But it’s kind of what I was talking about before. In WWE, everything is done live. We do not have retakes. So, I think being a WWE superstar has prepared me well for producing other forms of media quickly.”

Photo: WWE

TEENAGE DREAMS BECOME A REALITY WRESTLING RANDY ORTON

Back in the squared circle, Hendry has been in a feud with the Judgment Day, and in particular of late with JD McDonaugh on Raw. But taking a look at his rise from NXT to TNA to WWE, Joe reflected on his heart-stopping moment at WrestleMania 41 against one of his legends, Randy Orton.

“I remember being 15 and kind of imagining being a pro wrestler. I also remember specifically thinking, ‘What if I had a feud with Randy Orton?’ And then, I became a wrestler when I was just about to turn 25 and all these years later, it happened!

“It such an unlikely story,” said Joe of getting the call he would be facing the 14-time WWE champion. He added, “I’m so grateful that I’ve had that moment early on in my WWE career and it kind of takes the pressure off, because it doesn’t get any bigger than that. So now, I can focus on my goal which is just to get better all the time; improve as a wrestler all the time. I can see the progression in myself. I’m gaining skills and confidence all the time.”

Photo: WWE

SHOULD JOE STAY GOOD OR TURN BAD?

The proverbial question had to be asked, “Does Joe prefer being a babyface or would he like to see a heel turn? Hendry replied, “Interesting question. Never say never. You just never know. Anything can happen in the WWE. It’s funny, originally, my character was designed by me to be hated, and people just happened to like it! You can’t force it. The audience is going to tell you. They are a huge part in dictating our paths as wrestlers.”

Check out Joe in Agent of Shadows by visiting ReelShort.com to download the ReelShort app on Apple and Android devices. You can also check out @ReelShort on YouTube.

You can also watch our full conversation with Joe Hendry now on the Michael Fairman Channel below.

Now let us know, will you check out WWE’s first microdrama, Agent of Shadows? Do you get a kick out of Joe Hendry’s songs and how it relates to his feuds in the WWE and his rise in the ranks of pro wrestling? Hoping Joe stays a babyface or would you like to see him turn heel? Weigh-in via the comment section.