Interviews
The John McCook Interview – The Bold and the Beautiful
Photo Credit: Getty Images
For the past 25 years fans of The Bold and the Beautiful have witnessed the ups and down of the show’s patriarch and matriarch, Eric and Stephanie Forrester. And now with the departure of series star and multiple Daytime Emmy winner, Susan Flannery (Stephanie) a new chapter will begin, but not before viewers, the characters and the actors themselves are put though the emotional ringer of having to say goodbye to this soap icon, and central figure to B&B’s ongoing drama.
And while Susan Flannery, and rightfully so, is receiving all the accolades for her bravura final performances, it is her on-screen partner John McCook (Eric) who has been doing some of his most subtle and heartbreaking work of his career. So what does John think the on-screen death of Stephanie will mean for Eric? A new lease on life? A deep grieving process? You will find out as On-Air On-Soaps sat down with John in his dressing room to get him to share his thoughts on the end of a 25-year plus on-screen relationship.
From Stephanie’s goodbye party to Susan and John’s final scenes, one thing is for certain; John feels a tremendous amount of respect for what Susan Flannery has meant to B&B and to the genre. However, as one door closes another one opens. Hopefully, this will give John the opportunity to explore new story arcs… and as he expresses, after the dust has settled… with the stunning departures and losses of both Ronn Moss (Ridge), his on-screen son, and Susan, his on-screen wife. The series is turning the page, but not before we all have a very good cry.
MICHAEL:
John, what did you think when you found out that there was going to be an on-screen party celebrating Stephanie’s life, which for all intent and purposes was going to be the vehicle for Stephanie, and for Susan Flannery, to say goodbye on-air to all the characters?
JOHN:
Courtesy/CBS
The premise of the party was Eric wanted to throw her a celebration of her life. Stephanie originally told Eric, “I don’t want to have a party. Everyone will just sit around and cry.” And he said, “No. Not like that… a real celebration of your life while you are still here to enjoy it.” So she decides to go for it, and then Stephanie comes up with the idea to handwrite invitations to people that she loves and that she wants to be there. So, she hand-delivers them personally to people, which was a wonderful device for our show, that as she delivers them to different people we see flashbacks of her with whatever character Stephanie is delivering the invite to.
MICHAEL:
Have you gotten to see any of those episodes? The one where she delivers the invite to Brooke, and the performances of Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke) and Susan was fantastic.
JOHN:
Yes I have. It was a great opportunity to indulge in these flashbacks, instead of just sticking them in when she is dead. So instead of having a party where we go back and look at all of that, we do that beforehand. Eric is kind of the host and is the ringmaster of the party. He says to the guests, “No long faces! No crying. I want everyone to enjoy themselves. I know this is a difficult thing.” But then he sits down and serenades Stephanie at the piano with When Irish Eyes are Smiling, and then starts to cry himself. He does a short little rendition of it, but quietly, and it’s sad. And then Eric hired Celtic Woman, who came from far and wide to be at the celebration, and he brings them in from outside and they come in to the party and sing.
MICHAEL:
Did you know before this arc of the story that Stephanie was even Irish?
JOHN:
Courtesy/CBS
Well, I could tell from time to time with her temper! (Laughs) And, she can drink like an Irishmen! (Laughs) Brad Bell, our executive producer and head writer, said to me one day up in his office, “You’re Irish, right?” And I said, “Yeah. some, but I am Scottish mostly.” Brad replies, “Good, because we are going to do this party…” It wasn’t exactly out of nowhere, but it was. (Laughs)
MICHAEL:
Is Eric breaking inside? This has got to be so deeply painful for him dealing with the impending death of his beloved, Stephanie.
JOHN:
He and Stephanie decided to commiserate a lot before the party. We see them in the doctor’s office. They heard the news that her cancer had returned. They are mourning together. And as a couple and a team, they decide they are not going to do that anymore. They decide, “Let’s show everybody that we can rise above this. Let’s be matter-of-fact about this, and try to get everybody to be as joyful as humanly possible.” Is he dying inside? Of course, but only very little. It’s very important for him to have this whole thing be a celebratory thing for her and for everyone. They want to leave the party at the height of it, and they do. So Eric and Stephanie say goodbye, and everyone realizes it’s the last time they are going to see Stephanie, and she says, “When Eric comes back, he is going to be by himself. You are going to need to help him.” And, oh my goodness, we leave and we go away and she doesn’t return, and there you are. I am very pleased by the way that Brad and the show was able to handle this, and that Susan Flannery was gracious enough to be selfish as an actress in a good way, and that is to say, she said, “I want to play this! I don’t want you to sweep her death under the rug. I want you to kill Stephanie Forrester. I want to stay here and play it out, so that we have really wonderful drama.” Brad then rolled up his sleeves and created a really terrific way to salute her character, and salute Susan.
MICHAEL:
How was it for you and the rest of the cast to step on set and film those heart-wrenching and emotional goodbye party episodes?
JOHN:
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
This was real and those feelings were real, when we look at one another in the scenes and indulge in the reality of losing our friend. It wasn’t just the characters losing Stephanie; it was also all of these actors losing Susan as an actor and everything else she brings to work. Susan brings a great deal to work. She takes up a lot of room, and she makes choices and she forces you to believe what you need to believe in a scene, and you argue with her if you think you are right. If you are right, then Susan will let you do it in a scene. But Susan is probably one of three of four most knowledgeable actresses on daytime television for this genre. What she knows about this type of material is more than all of us combined. I really give her that credit.
MICHAEL:
How was the taping of your final scenes with Susan?
JOHN:
It was wonderful. And as the two old war horses that we are, we love it when it is real. We have years and years of manufacturing, in our way, big emotions and big love, and being actors together.
MICHAEL:
Will Eric go through a deep grieving process?
JOHN:
So far, yes. When you lose a character like Ridge and you sweep it under the rug until you decide what to do, it’s not very fulfilling and it’s unsatisfactory. The audience is going to mourn the loss of this Stephanie character like crazy. You don’t sweep that under the rug. You mourn with them, and show how Eric mourns the loss, and how Brooke mourns her loss, and how Pam mourns her loss. These characters all of had relationships with Stephanie.
MICHAEL:
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
There have been some recent scenes between you and Alley Mills (Pam) that have been very sweet. There was one in particular where Eric held her when she started to cry at work after Stephanie delivered more invitations to the party. Could it be that Pam and Eric could eventually develop a romantic relationship coming out of their grief and loss for Stephanie?
JOHN:
I think Eric and Pam will continue to enrich the relationship that they have, whatever that is. We wanted to indulge in that at the beginning when Pam first came on the canvas. At that point, they started to write a competition between the sisters for Eric. But then we got away from that. Pam is very sad about losing Stephanie. She says to Eric shortly before Stephanie passes, “Are you going to send me back to Chicago?” And he says, “What?” And she goes, “Well, I am not family here. I don’t have anybody here.” She then says, “Wait, and remember when I was in love with you?” And Pam just does not know what to say or do at the moment. She is like ten years old in those scenes. She is alone in the world now having lost both her mother and her sister. Eric says to her, “This is your family now.” There is sweetness between them that both Alley and I want to mine. I don’t know what is going to happen down the road, but certainly they can mourn together. My opinion is that Pam and Eric depended on Stephanie in a way that nobody else did. They can grieve in a way that is private, and in a way that nobody else sees or knows about. I would love for Eric to see Pam weeping on the floor at Forrester Creations, and for him to comfort her, and for her to comfort him through the loss of Stephanie.
MICHAEL:
We heard from many of your co-stars when Ronn Moss (Ridge) decided to exit the series so abruptly. Were you shocked by his decision to leave, and then Susan’s?
JOHN:
Susan has been talking about leaving for ten years and she never left. Of course not, she has been snarking about it for years! But when this negotiation began, Ronn, Susan, Katherine and I went out to dinner one night after taping the show. Ronn said at that meeting, “I am not going to stay.” And then Susan said, “I don’t know if I am either.” But in fact in the next coming weeks when Ronn’s deal did not happen, Ronn was willing to go. He was very excited about leaving. That is because he had the music thing going on and was looking forward to it. Ronn was not bitter, or angry, or anything like that. He felt that he had really given the show a lot and he loved doing it, and that it was time to turn the page and move on. We all said, “We respect that.” The fact that Ronn was being so honest with us, and did not hide it from us was really cool. Katherine was going, “Oh, my God!” And then Susan said, “I am going to leave! But I am going to go talk to Brad and tell him to kill my character. I will stay the weeks it will take to give my character a proper send-off.” She did not want to just go up to the toilet and not come back down for the next three months! (Laughs) I am very happy for what the show had done for her, and for the fans.
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
MICHAEL:
Now as B&B move into the future, there are only two of the “core four” original cast members and characters … played by yourself and Katherine Kelly Lang!
JOHN:
And then there was two … Katherine and myself. On-screen, she and I cross paths in the night. She and I have not had scenes together about anything, about the kids, let alone our past relationship. Things have changed around here, though. Katherine is in Susan’s old dressing room now. It’s refreshing for her to have a new environment. And, it is not about “getting” Susan’s room; it’s about having a new beginning for all of us. My dressing room has been cleaned up a bit. I have a parking space now, and I never had one before. Katherine has one now that is hers, too. This is not the beginning of the end for this show; it is the end of the beginning. We have turned the page … Katherine and me, and Hunter Tylo (Taylor) and the young couples, and the Spencer family. That is good. That has plugged in here very well. Don Diamont relishes the part of Bill Spencer. He has brought to the show a different flavor and spice that we didn’t have before. I salute that. And, to put Heather Tom (Katie) with Don is a brilliant move. I am glad that Rick (Jacob Young) is back, also!
MICHAEL:
With the current battle over the top spot of Forrester Creations raging on since Ridge is now off the canvas, don’t you think Eric should step in there and take the reins over Thomas and Rick?
JOHN:
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
I hope I get to be a mentor in there and a referee, and get to step in there. We shall see. That is a very key part of losing Ronn Moss as Ridge. Now it’s about who is going to run the business? It’s an international fashion house. I get that Thomas and Rick want to run the family business, but I think Eric needs to step back in.
MICHAEL:
What is your takeaway from working with Susan Flannery for these 25 plus years? Good, and or bad?
JOHN:
When I got here 25 years ago to do this show, I was armed and educated for what I needed to know to work with Susan Flannery, or anybody else. What I learned from Susan was how wonderful it is to trust another performer and another performer’s opinion, and what it is like for years and years to be dependent on each other’s talent, preparation, and commitment. Susan has stolen scenes from me over the years. I have been able to do that to her, too. When it happens, she goes, “O.K.” When she would do it to me, I would go home and yell at my wife, Laurette! (Laughs) I have had times when I wanted to play a scene a certain way and Susan absolutely refused. You pick your battles. Stephanie has been wearing the pants in the family for a long time. I have used the expression that Eric has been in Stephanie’s shadow quite a lot over the last few years on the show. So as an actor, I look at this as an opportunity to be, “all about me” for a minute, because that is what actor’s do. I relish the opportunity to be out in the light, and be part of the future here for a while.
MICHAEL:
We know viewers hope to see Eric really going through the appropriate stages of grief, and the isolation of that. Will we see that play out on-air?
JOHN:
Courtesy/CBS
We are just beginning to do that now. We have so many viewers that are more than 70 years old, and a lot of grown up viewers. Some of them have experienced this. So we can’t be cavalier about, “Oh, he is going to drink too much now and start having sex with younger girls.” I think that is kind of cliché, folks. That is soap opera cliché. We could do it and do it well, but let’s have Eric mourn in a real way, and be alone and feel what it is like to be left behind. I don’t think he feels he was ready to be left behind. Yes, your family is there for you. However, when you are alone in your house, it doesn’t matter how much your family loves you. At the end of the day she is not there anymore.
MICHAEL:
Clearly, you would tell fans to have their boxes of Kleenex ready as the final moments of Stephanie approach … and even past that?
JOHN:
No question about it. People have cried all ready just at the idea of losing Stephanie. I am going to even say, I think that would be true of any of your favorite beloved characters on any soap opera. When one of those dies, the show needs to honor that, and go there and indulge in that loss, and show the audience that, “Yes, we know how hard it is going to be, as in this case, for Stephanie not to be there.”
MICHAEL:
So when all is said and done, John, what direction do you hope B&B takes with Eric once Stephanie is no longer on the canvas?
JOHN:
Photo Credit: Gilles Toucas
What are they going to do with Eric? I am not sure. I know I will be rattling around that house for a while. Will Pam be there? Sure. But everybody else is going to be there too, trying to help Eric. Is he going to have a new relationship and get laid? Who cares! That is not what the story is about. What we need to do is show Eric being by himself for a while, and coming back into his work life for a while. Just about him trying to get through the day where he is thinking to himself, “Where is my coffee? Where is she? Where is my Martini?” These are sad things. It would be so funny for Pam to try to make a Martini for him, and for him to say, “I am never going to have a Martini ever again in my life.” And for her to say, “O.K.” and then she walks away, but then all of a sudden for Eric to say, “Do you know how to make a Manhattan?” (Laughs)
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I hope they have the character of Eric and Brooke have some growth after all this I do not care to see either one jump into relationships. The one thing I would disagree with is Winsor Harmon has played Thorne the longest he should have a meatier role but maybe it is because I disdain the actor who plays Rick. The show will go on but I fear we will get back to the horrid teenybopper triangle. Mr. McCook has done some good work this last month.
I love the show and have been watching it since the beginning. I’m ready to carry on with the young people and see what will happen with Liam, Steffy,and Hope. I’m already seeing Katie and new baby Will back together and Dollar Bill will follow. As for Brook, don’t know maybe she will be laid back and alone for a while like Taylor. Bring back Jackie and her gang. The next few weeks or months will be something to see. Like always I will be glued to the T.V. everyday at 12:30 on CBS. Great Show!!!!!
It appears that Eric will not be supporting Thomas. He sides with his snake-of-a-son Rick over Thomas every time, which is funny because Rick can’t design a dish cloth!
Many viewers would like to see the Logans – Brooke, Donna and Hope — gone from Forrester Creations and have the Douglas/Forester clan can pull together. Thomas is the star designer and Rick is supposed to have business savvy, too bad their bad blood will not allow them to work together.
I just watched the last episode of the great Flannery. KKL and SF both made incredible performances. For me this was really the end of The Bold and The Beautiful. The show lost a lot when the late great Darlene Conley passed away, but with SF in the key role, B&B stayed alive though show’s golden years were gone (90’s). It’s extremely sad to see Flannery retiring (she absolutely deserves it!!). In the last 10 years, she has been the only reason to watch this show that has become only a shadow of what it once was! Thank God we will always have the clips from the golden days 🙂 KKL is a wonderful actress but no one can replace SF!!! Thank YOU SUSAN from the bottom of my heart for the unforgettable years. You are my true acting idol! The greatest actress of daytime!!! <3 Take care!!!
Iagree susan was and is a great actress,. she was in another soap years ago but i cant rember which one and she wa great in that one to . SoSUSAN COME BACK TO SEE USin spirit on occasion,like john does on y&r. thank you for such great acting it was so beliveable
GR8 interview, Michael. I just watched the final Stephanie scene and am still sniffling. It’s hard to imagine the show without her. Still miss Ronn Moss. I hope that John McCook is right and the writers give us something different than expected soap mourning. I’d love to really see Brooke and Eric mourn before jumping in bed with new relationships, and more focus put on their characters not the teeny boppers (which has gotten old fast). I find myself missing Nick, Jackie and Bridget too. Enough of preachy Taylor and her “entitled” kids. BORING.
But excellent writing here, Michael. You painted a wonderful inside portrait of what’s going on!!!!!!!
I loved Susan Flannery’s work. She was a major part of B & B. She will be so missed.
I have watched this show from day 1 and I love Susan and Katherine. The writers did a wonderful job with the hate love relationship between these 2 women. I cried my eyes out today to see Stephanie go but I think it was wonderful that Brooke was with her. I hope to see more exciting things for this show so that I can watch for another 25 years.
Nice interview, Michael. And I am one of McCook’s biggest fans.
I have watched this show from day 1 and I love Susan and Katherine. The writers did a wonderful job with the hate love relationship between these 2 women. I cried my eyes out today to see Stephanie go but I think it was wonderful that Brooke was with her. I hope to see more exciting things for this show so that I can watch for another 25 years. John is the back bone of this show I hope he is not planning on leaving any time soon.
SUSAN I HAVE ENJOYED WATCHING YOU ON B & B, I HAVE WATCHED THE SHOW SINCE THE VERY FIRST SHOW IN 1987, SF WILL BE MISSED, I ALSO MISS RONN MOSS, HOPEFULLY YOU BOTH WILL HAVE A GREAT TIME IN WHEREVER LIFE TAKES YOU BOTH. I WILL MISS YOU BOTH BUT THE SHOW WILL GO ON & BE GREAT AS EVER, SO MANY NEW YOUNG CHARACTERS BUT THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER SF.
I just want to say the very best to Susan for alll the years on t.v. You are one amazing lady B&B will not be the same without you May our LORD be with you and Bless you in whatever you intend to do love you Susan and will miss you
Stephanie Forrester it was a pleasure watchin you on th B&B..
I wish you didnt have to leave the show, you really made my day
When i watch you on the show, you were a woman not to mess with..
Well all must come to an end.. I wish you luck in everthing you do…
You will be missed!! <3
I am so sad to see Susan leave I am glad though her and Brooke had quit feuding that was getting tiring I still dont understand why they gotr
id of Nick and Jackie they just quit showing them I wish they would bring them back. i was hoping they would do more with Deacon and Ambers characters it doesntlook like they will though,I wish I could write for them.
Today was a great day for B&B. I cried and am still upset even through I knew it was coming that Stephanie would die on the show. I think Brook did a great job and I wonder if those tears were real because they sure looked real and always do when she cries. Great ending for a new beginning. Looking forward to all future shows with all the young and old . Thank you B&B . At one time I watched 2 soaps everyday but sometime way back I only tune in for the B&B and if I miss an episode I’ll turn on the computer and kick back and watch,
These last couple of weeks have been hard I have road with BB for the entire 25 years ever since they took ove the Capital spot,even though the selfish side of me wants things to stay the same,with the oringinal characters, I understand that people must move on and make room for the next generation the next chapter,but it is still sad, we the viewers forget that these actors work as we do and there comes a time when wanting to retire kicks in, be it acting ,bus driving, people want to retire,people want to experience new horrizons,I wish Susan and Ronn well on their journey and thank them both for the dedication that they have given,God Bless to you both. Afaithful fan Syreeta
excellent interview michael!
WOW!!! What can I say. I have been there the whole 25 years of the show also. I think it is wonderful that they let Stephanie & Brooke end with a good relationship. Susan will be missed so much. She was one of those characters that you had a love/hate moment with. I like watching the new actors on the show but the old ones are the best. It is hard to replace those. I would love for NBC to make B&B a hour long Soap Opera. There seems to be a down fall on the Soaps now. I am beginning to think that they are trying to do away with all of them now. My generation and the older ones were the die hard fans who never misses a episode. The generation now just don’t watch them as we have. I hope that B&B will keep Katherine & John for a long while. I know he is getting on up in age and his time will come when he is ready to retire also. I know Leslie Downs had to fight with cancer for a while and I think that is why she did not sign another contract. Also Jack Wagner and Brandon Beemer contract ran out also. There has been a lot of soap stars lately who are not signing new contracts. It seems that they are getting out of it I guess. I hope that this is not the end of my favorite soaps. There is only a few of them left on daytime TV now. So if you are a devoted fan to the soaps that are left on NBC, please keep on viewing them because if there ratings go down they will take them off like they did the other shows. God Bless Susan, may your retirement be very fulfilling. Ron I hope your next journey is very fulfilling also. I never knew that you were in that group until I read your interview. I miss seeing your face on there. If they decide to replace you on the show, I hope it is someone who favors you because it will seem so strange looking at a different person. Good luck to all the cast & crew in the future episodes.
bold and beautiful is on CBS notNBC
I really enjoyed this interview. I hope JM will get the chances to shine in the spot light again. When I watched the flashbacks and saw how beautiful his hair was I almost swooned. I remember those days so well. (He is still a handsome man but when he was salt-and-pepper he was so debonair.) The actors who have recently left will be missed, but I know that JM and the rest of the cast will make the show so interesting that we will all continue to wait impatiently for it to begin every week day! I am an Irish girl, btw, and the party scenes, and those leading up to it, were some of the most enjoyable on television during the past few years — in any time slot.
I have not seen the passing of Stephanie yet .here in Cyprus we are behind……….have watched entranced since 1987.in South Africa now here in Cyprus……………..I salute you Susan and thank you for the many many years of great entertainment i have enjoyed in my living room…will miss Ron too………Blessings and thanks to all at B AND B
SUSAN SPASSING WAS A WONDERFUL SEND OFF DONE WITH PASSION WARMTH AND SO VERY WELL DONE WITH GRACE AND DIGNITY. THANK YOU WRITERS.
MICHAEL. THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL INTERVEIW YOU DID ON THE bold&beautiful.
Is Eric going to leave the show and the people on there should let him be with the woman he wants in his life
In the Sept 30th episode di John Mccook leave the show?
I don’t think he did, he said in an interview that he was glad to have frontburner for the first time in years. I think he just passed out again in today’s episode though.
I am from Sri Lanka, I am trying the best to contact John McCook and Stephanie for over 10 years. It’s a shame, because I am a very good fan of both of them. I cn even giv my personal no.0094767733195
Pls contact me. I love both of u.
God bless both of u
With love, Freeda
Days Of Our Lives
Wally Kurth Talks on His Daytime Emmy Nomination For DAYS As Justin’s World Is Turned Upside Down
You kind of know when you are handed the ball in the world of daytime drama, and it’s your turn to shine, especially when you get meaty material that runs the gamut of emotions. And this past Emmy season, Days of our Lives’ Wally Kurth delivered the performances of his soap career (although we suspect there is some more to come in 2020!) in the role of the grieving Justin Kiriakis.
For Wally not only played grief, but starting life anew in a romantic entanglement that can be all too familiar when someone tries to move on after the loss of the love of their life. Add to that, the complication that his son’s husband, was believed to be the person who caused the accident that killed his wife, Adrienne (Judi Evans), and with that the deck is stacked for an emotional fallout that landed Kurth in the running for the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at this year’s 47th annual Daytime Emmy Awards to air on CBS on Friday night, June 26th, albeit in a virtual presentation.
While Wally is getting many accolades for his work on DAYS, let’s not forget the double duty he pulls on General Hospital, where this week his Ned Ashton. This week Ned is front and center during the encore presentations of the GH’ Nurses’ Ball episodes, which feature Wally singing his heart out in numerous memorable performances through the years.
Michael Fairman TV chatted with Kurth to get his thoughts and insight into his well-deserved acting nomination for DAYS, plus to find out his favorite GH Nurses’ Ball performances, and much more. Here now is what Wally had to say about it all.
Photo: JPI
I am so thrilled about this nomination because you know, I willed this to happen. I was like, “It’s got to happen!” (Laughs)
WALLY: You actually were saying that, and you have been very supportive and positive. I appreciate it.
What did you end up submitting? I believe I gave you “Power Performance of the Week” honors on my site for some of them, too.
WALLY: I do try to put together a little story in my submissions for Emmys. I think that’s kind of important because if you’re asking someone to watch 8 or 9 minutes of just you… I didn’t want to just (not that I had this material) but bludgeon them with one sad, sobbing scene after another. I wanted to give them a whole range of Justin and a little story. So, I did start off where Justin was asking Adrienne to marry him, and Justin is very happy, and it’s all good, and he gets down on his knee, and you see her, and it’s like, “This is something really good,” and I also wanted to include a scene with Judi Evans in my reel. Then, I cut to where it’s a year later, and Justin is with Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) in their apartment. They are already living together, and they are discussing the anniversary of their marriages, and about the sadness of Adrienne, and she’s talking about Steve (Stephen Nichols), and then she brings up having to tell me that Adrienne died. So, that was obviously in a flashback that happened six months earlier; where Justin is obviously very upset, and scared, and doesn’t want to hear it, and breaks down, and Kayla comforts him. Then, I did the continuation where Justin tells Kayla how much she has meant to him, and how he felt like he wasn’t going to survive, and how she came to his aid in a way to make him feel like he really has something to live for. Then, at the very end, I did two scenes with Will (Chandler Massey) in the jail which is where Justin confronts Will, who obviously Justin thought was responsible for killing Adrienne. It was a really lovely, really well-written scene where Justin tells him, “You’re a son to me, and you can be disappointed with a son, and you can be hurt by a son, but you never stop loving him.” I think it showed a nice range of the anger, the hurt, the happiness (because Justin tells him about Kayla), so you get an idea of what happened to Justin last year. I thought it was a good collection of scenes that told a little story, and you could see the range of what Justin went though. Evidently, it worked on some level because I got nominated.
Courtesy/NBC
In the scene with Will, doesn’t Justin also tell him, “Don’t give up on life?” in a very hankie-inducing moment?
WALLY: Yes. “Don’t give up. Don’t give up on life,” which is really positive… even though he started the scene like, “I don’t even want to talk to this guy.” Justin is there talking to Ben (Rob Scott Wilson), and Will kind of surprises him. So for Justin it;’ like, “Now I guess I’ve got to talk to Will about this,” and so he is still angry, he is still hurt, and you’re right, at the end, the scene has sort of transformed him in a way. So, all of that stuff was just really nice, really nice scenes to get to play and very emotional.
I’ve watched most everything on the soaps from the performances to the storylines, and that one scene with the two of you was one of the best scenes I have seen in long time. It was just so good from the writing to the execution of it.
WALLY: Oh yeah, I can’t even imagine a scene that was as good. Thank God that scene aired in December. My story really didn’t get started until October/November, and all of those scenes that I included were from October, November, and December.
So, what did you think then when you found out that Chandler, along with you, and Paul Telfer (Xander) are all in the Supporting Actor category together?
WALLY: I love it. How great is that? I love both of those guys. I mean, I am such a fan of both of them. Chandler kind of gets nominated every year, so I wasn’t surprised there.
Photo: JPI
Well, he had one year, as he pointed out to me (laughs), that he didn’t get a nomination. But, Chandler has been pretty much a perennial nominee every time he submits!
WALLY: Yeah, Chandler just delivers. He is a really an outstanding actor. Paul, I think is great. I love the character. I was kind of surprised and happy for him because sometimes his character gets overlooked; just like the bad guy with the smarmy smirk and the great English accent. So, there you go. It’s terrific. I think people saw more to his performance, and they should. He works on a lot of different levels, and Paul brings a lot to the game.
And obviously, you know James Patrick Stuart (Valentin, General Hospital), since you work on that show too, and he is also nominated in your category.
WALLY: Yeah, and I have been a big fan of his too. So, I was really delighted. I called him up and left a message. I love James. We did a thing last year together where we went back east and played some music in some clubs, I always think that James should be nominated. He does such an exceptional job at bringing that character to life. That’s not an easy thing to do either. It’s kind of like a Xander character, and so, it is nice to see my fellow actors see the complexity in their performances and appreciate it.
Photo: JPI
Last week’s DAYS airshows contained scenes where Justin confronts Orpheus (George Delhoyo), over killing Adrienne, and Justin also goes to visit Adrienne’s grave. I think you have another run of shows next year to submit for the Emmys (Laughs)
WALLY: I do like to include the big four emotions that an actor has to play: happy, sad, angry, and fear. That is a scene where you get to see Justin really angry. So, I will probably look to that as you get to see the anger part of the character, which I think is important. You don’t get to see Justin very angry and lose it like that.
No, and that’s what was so great about it. George was a great scene partner, though.
WALLY: Oh, he was great. George and I had a great time. It was really awesome. I mean, it was a challenge because it was very tricky, especially when Steve (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) came in because you know; there is a part of the character that is just like, “Please, just let me shoot. Just let me fire a bullet and just put it over his head or something, or maybe his hands are shaking so much that he misses the target!” I don’t know, but you do just want to let him shoot, just one bullet. (Laughs) Another moment that I really, really loved – and I’ll probably include it next year in my submission -was that scene with Suzanne Rogers (Maggie) at the hospital. They gave me a beautiful speech to tell her that she should be her judge and jury and sentence herself to death, a beautiful speech about how she reminded me of Adrienne. It brought out a different side of Justin that you don’t usually see.
Photo: JPI
When I spoke to Chandler about this nomination he related to me, “I am so happy for Wally because I feel like he is often underrated.” You have always been the guy on soaps who is always delivering consistent work, but now you’ve been given a story. So now everyone can see what you can do or are reminded of it. It’s hard without a story on the soaps; especially playing the Emmy game.
WALLY: It’s true. What did Maurice Benard (Sonny, General Hospital) say? “If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage.” It’s really true. Let’s face it, you can only do so much, and that’s why I don’t get too competitive. If I lose, that’s totally fine. I feel like I’ve already won. Being recognized by my peers, that’s it. Being nominated is awesome, and honestly, after this, so much of it is the material and what the actors got to do. It’s sort of out of your control, you know. I am happy for all of my fellow nominees. It’s all good at this point. I’m really, really happy.
Photo: ABC
You’ve been nominated once before, right?
WALLY: Yes. I’ve been nominated once before, two years ago on General Hospital. It was the year that Jane Elliot (Tracy) left. In story, Tracy leaves, so there was all of that emotional stuff to play. That was the year I also submitted myself for Days of Our Lives too, and I was really proud of that work. That year saw Adrienne having to choose between Justin and Lucas (Bryan Dattilo), and she chose Lucas. There were just some really nice scenes there that they wrote for Justin and Adrienne, and she was dealing with cancer. Anyway, I got nominated for General Hospital, and I learned from that year that I am never going to nominate myself in the same category for both shows. That’s just stupid.
Well, you’re everywhere. You’re on the Nurses’ Ball encore episodes right now on GH,
WALLY: Oh, isn’t that funny? All of these Nurses’ Balls, it’s hilarious.
Courtesy/ABC
Are you watching them?
WALLY: Yes! I watched parts of them the other night, especially my performances. It looked good; actually, they were really good. I’m always kind of surprised like, “Wow! The dances … the singing … the production!” I always feel like there should be more people at the Nurses’ Ball. Shouldn’t there be more people in the seats? (Laughs) But other than that, good stuff, good story. It was fun to see the beginning of Ned and Olivia (Lisa LoCicero) as well, you know that first year where she and Sonny were just breaking up on the red carpet at the ball, and the next year, Ned and Olivia are already together. This week they aired where I sing with sweet little Brooklyn Rae Silzer (Emma), the Elton John and Kiki Dee duet, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”
Photo: ABC
Do you have one favorite Nurses’ Ball number you performed of all-time?
WALLY: You know, someone has been posting old Nurses’ Balls from the 90s, and I forgot that I sang “Forever Young” with Amber Tamblyn (Ex-Emily), and that was so sweet. I also loved singing “Somewhere over the Rainbow,” in the very first one or the second year, we did it. Some of my other favorites include: “I Feel Good,” with the Quartermaine boys, and Robert Palmer’s “Simply Irresistible” – that was fun because I got to put my own vocal stamp on it, and I remember performing George Michael’s “Faith. It was fun singing that with Lisa.
Courtesy/NBC
So, we know that this year will be a virtual Daytime Emmy ceremony, and we don’t know what that will look like yet. So, how would you dress for it, if they had a shot of you from home during the broadcast on CBS?
WALLY: I definitely am going to wear a suit and a tie. I think that’s important to try to give the Emmys the dignity that it deserves.
So, thrilled that Wally received a Daytime Emmy nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series? What were your favorite moments of his last year? Are you enjoying seeing his performances on the encore GH Nurses’ Ball episodes? Comment below.
Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Susan Seaforth Hayes Talks On Her Daytime Emmy Nomination For Julie and Doug’s Emotional Storyline
When you think Days of our Lives, what would it be without the legendary Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie) and her real-life and on-screen husband, Bill Hayes (Doug Williams)?
This past Emmy season, the beloved duo got a chance to shine, when they were put through a ‘heartbreaking’ predicament – Julie’s heart gives out, she is in need of a transplant, and things take a turn for the worse.
What would life be like for Doug without his Julie? How would she say goodbye to him? Fans clearly felt the sentiments overflowing from this real-life duo capturing the essence of their characters in such a raw and realistic way. So much so, that Susan landed a Daytime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category for her work.
Already a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient along with her husband, Bill back in 2018, will Susan finally get an award for her acting for her decades of beautiful work on the long-running NBC soap opera? Fans will need to tune-in to CBS on Friday, June 26th to find out with the virtual presentation of the 47th annual Daytime Emmy Awards. But for now, here is our conversation with Susan.
Photo: NATAS
Congratulations on your Supporting Actress nomination. You have been racking up a lot of these recently, having been nominated in the same category two years ago, and also receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award along with your husband, Bill Hayes at the 45th annual Daytime Emmys in 2018.
SUSAN: It’s really nice to be nominated, because I’ve had a few gap years. I’ve had, what? 25 gap years between the recent nominations.
What scenes did you ultimately chose that landed you the nomination?
SUSAN: I submitted when Julie dies. I submitted the farewell montage scenes with Bill Hayes, and they were very moving to us… and we’ll see. I did not submit anything snappy, or bitchy, or hysterical. I’ve lost against hysterical every time. Comedy has never worked. So, I am going to try the heart and soul of soup opera: not bitchiness, but loss.
Photo: JPI
Can I ask how you got through those scenes with Bill, because it was so touching? I don’t know how you did it.
SUSAN: It was very difficult. I mean, these are the things that make us so connected to the characters and the show. This is a place where we can show the public what love means to us, which is everything.
They were beautiful scenes. Do you remember when you did them, if you felt good about them at the time?
SUSAN: No… no. I didn’t know. Everyone on the set seemed happy. We are blessed to have feedback from out producers now, and they didn’t say, “I think you can do it better,” and, “Another take,” not that we would have anyway, because there is never time to do another take.
Photo: JPI
How did you find out that you were nominated?
SUSAN: One of the producers, Randy Dugan called me, or I wouldn’t have found out for a couple of days,
What are your thoughts on this being a virtual Daytime Emmys ceremony because of COVID-19? We don’t know anything about will play out yet or what that will look like, but it is back on network TV.
SUSAN: It’s going to be a wonderful surprise.
So, if they have the shot of the nominees, do you think you’d be dressed in comfortable clothes or more formal?
SUSAN: Well, I’d certainly wear my best earrings if I were at home, yeah. If my grandson can arrange us to get on the internet (we have a grandson living on our property, and he’s our live-in techy), we will get dressed up, and sit there, if that’s the way to do it.
DAYS did very well receiving 22 overall nominations and a lot of your co-stars got nomination as well.
SUSAN: Yes, an excellent year for nominations for our show.
How many times have you been nominated now?
SUSAN: This makes six.
Photo: IMDB
Would it mean a lot to you to get the award?
SUSAN: The Lifetime Achievement meant a lot. It wouldn’t be bad to win this year. I’ll say that. It would be sweet for the show, since I am now the oldest living cast member of the original family – the original, original. I’m not the original Julie, but close enough. So, I think that would be some validation for the longevity of this original storytelling. People look at the show and say, “Are you part of the DiMera family or the Brady family?” I say, “I’m part of the Horton family!”
What did your husband Bill say when he found out you were nominated?
SUSAN: (Yells) Billy, what did you say when you found out I was nominated?
BILL: Yay!!!
SUSAN: That’s about right. (Laughs)
Photo: JPI
What a guy!
SUSAN: I know! What a guy, what a guy, what a guy!
I was really happy to see your name among the other well-deserving nominees.
SUSAN: I know you are because I know you care. Who knows what will happen? It isn’t going to ruin our lives you know, one way or another. But it was very nice to receive this acknowledgment from my peers.
So, are you glad Susan received a nomination for her work in her emotional storyline? Do you think she should finally receive the Emmy for her performances? Comment below.
Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Chandler Massey Chats On His Bittersweet Daytime Emmy Nomination
He’s won three Daytime Emmys in the Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series three years in row in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and now Chandler Massey is going for gold for the second time in his career in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series which in a field where he is competing with two co-stars from Days of our Lives among others.
Massey has long been a stand out performer, giving nuanced and emotional portrayals in the angst-ridden life of Will Horton and the love of his life, Sonny Kiriakis (Freddie Smith).
Back in February of this year, DAYS fans learned that Chandler and Freddie had taped their last episodes, and since the NBC soap tapes more than 6 months ahead of air, that the two will still be on the air into the fall. That has made this moment of recognition for Massey all the more poignant.
Michael Fairman TV talked with Chandler to get his reaction to the news that he is once again a Daytime Emmy nominee, and here’s what he had to say about it all.
Photo: JPI
I thought it was great that you received another Emmy nomination. What do you think?
CHANDLER: Yeah. I thought it was pretty great too, actually. I was surprised. I wasn’t keeping up on when they were announcing the nominations. I was thrilled that Wally (Kurth) and Paul (Telfer) also got nominated too in the same category. So, hopefully, DAYS, has a decent shot to take it home.
What did you end up submitting that ultimately landed you the nomination?
CHANDLER: I went with some scenes that aired on December 16th of last year (I just looked that up), where Will basically breaks up with Sonny when Sonny comes to visit him in prison. I liked those because they were sort of subtle. I just found myself drawn in when I watched it, and it wasn’t big or dramatic, but it felt like two real people sharing their pain. So, that’s why I chose it.
Photo: JPI
I remember those. Those were heartbreaking because he had to get Sonny to let him go.
CHANDLER: Yes. He said he has a new prison boyfriend, and that he’s doing really well in prison, so he doesn’t want to be tied down. (Laughs)
You’ve had Freddie Smith as your scene partner for so much of your run on DAYS. What did he give you in those scenes that helped you, or even further enabled the performance that you gave?
CHANDLER: Freddie always gives everything. He is a consummate professional, so he really commits every time. I think it is more that we are just so comfortable with each other that we are not afraid, and that there is no hesitation between the two of us, so we just are able to do the work. We usually know we are there to listen to, and support each other. in the scenes.
Photo: NATAS
Was your entire submission from the prison scenes or did you include something else?
CHANDLER: It was just that. I know I could have included something else, but I like to keep it sort of short because I feel like as a judge, I know within a few minutes. It’s not that I get bored, but it really only takes a scene or two, and then, you’re like, “this is something special.” You can recognize it pretty quickly.
So, you have won three Daytime Emmys. This is your first nomination in a few years, right?
CHANDLER: Yeah, I didn’t get nominated the year before. I had a gap year… to my family’s great shame. (Laughs) They were not pleased with me.
Photo: JPI
This is your second nomination in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
CHANDLER: Yes. I was nominated in ‘Supporting’ for the first time when I came back to DAYS, and then submitted for “Lead” the next year, didn’t get nominated, and then went back to ‘Supporting’. I learned my place. I went back to ‘Supporting’ for this year. (Laughs)
It’s such a game though, right? .
CHANDLER: Yeah, you’ve got to be smart. I just thought, “What the heck?” Freddie and I were like, “Maybe there’s a shot that if we pick different categories, we can both get nominated,” but then, after that didn’t work, I said, “Screw that… going back to ‘Supporting”
Now, you’ve been through Emmy night before, and this is obviously going to be a virtual Emmy’s. Now, if they did a six-shot of all of the nominees, what would you wear? Would you be dressed up? Would you be casual? What would you see yourself doing?
CHANDLER: That’s a good question. I think maybe… I’ll do a little of both. I’ll go the middle ground. I’ll be in my finest bathrobe, a silk bathrobe so it’s casual but also still sort of fancy.
There you go. (Laughs) Is this nomination all the more special for you in that you are no longer working at DAYS?
CHANDLER: Oh, totally. Every year is special, but you know, I’m not on the show anymore, so it’s a nice reminder that the work that I did had an effect on people, and it won’t be forgotten for at least a few more hours.
Photo: JPI
I saw the fan outcry and show of support for you and Freddie, when viewers got wind that you were exiting the series. It was sad and heartwarming at the same time. The WilSon fans are so behind you guys.
CHANDLER: Yeah, if only they knew what horrible people that we were in real life, then they wouldn’t be this way, but thankfully… (Laughs) Yeah, it’s really nice, but it is sad. I started in 2009, and that was over 10 years ago, and nothing lasts forever. I had a really, really great run, and so did Freddie. I am very satisfied and don’t feel jipped, or like, I was entitled to anything more than I got.
Courtesy/NBC
Obviously, your co-nominees, Wally and Paul you worked with many times. What can you say about them?
CHANDLER: I think that both men deserve definitely to get second and third place. (Laughs) I have known Wally for a while now. I love him. I think his work is phenomenal. I think he is really, really underrated. Paul, I don’t know as well, but I think obviously his work speaks for himself. If only he were physically attractive, I think that would really, really help his career.
Photo: JPI
I know, it’s a shame.
CHANDLER: Unfortunately, he is kind of schleppy, you know? (Laughs)
Photo: JPI
Did Freddie reach out to you after you received the nomination?
CHANDLER: Oh yes, he sent a text congratulating me, and we talked about it. It was nice. I feel like our stories are so intertwined, the scenes we submit are mostly with each other. So, it’s really kind of a shared accolade.
So, will you be rooting for Chandler to cap off his career on DAYS with an Emmy win on June 26th during the virtual ceremony on CBS? What did you think of the nominated scenes he submitted? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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Days Of Our LivesMay 30, 2020DAYS Chandler Massey Chats On His Bittersweet Daytime Emmy Nomination
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All My ChildrenMay 29, 2020Eva LaRue Talks On Her Daytime Emmy Nomination, And Opens Up About The Loss Of John Callahan
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Breaking NewsJune 1, 2020Hollywood Studios, Producers & Guilds Send Plan To Gov. Newsom and Gov. Cuomo For COVID-19 Production Restart Guidelines
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Breaking NewsMay 27, 2020Former Y&R Star, Emily O’Brien Set to Debut On Days of our Lives
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Days Of Our LivesMay 30, 2020DAYS New Summer Promo Reveals The Returns of Jay Kenneth Johnson and Louise Sorel
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All My ChildrenMay 29, 2020All My Children Reunion with Josh Duhamel, Ricky Paull Goldin, Cameron Mathison and More; Later Debbi Morgan Live
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PreviewsMay 28, 2020Next Y&R and B&B Theme Weeks Announced
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General HospitalJune 3, 2020Sonny & Carly Week Of Encore Episodes On Tap For General Hospital