Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Viewers of The Young and the Restless have begun to experience the grief, also felt by several of the residents of Genoa City, over the news of the passing of Katherine Chancellor, played by the late Jeanne Cooper.  Since Cooper’s death in May, the number-one soap had begun crafting a storyline that would have far reaching implications and impact on several key characters, which will also keep the legacy of Katherine, and honor the iconic Jeanne Cooper on the canvas for quite some time to come.

In story, Katherine has left letters for those close to her … some with instructions … and some with some heartfelt words with specific meaning to them, and more.  One of those most deeply affected is Nikki Newman, who upon trying to cope with the contents of Kay’s letter to her, wept out loud, “Katherine, why are you doing this to me?”  But what is she doing?  There has been much speculation from fans of the show all-abuzz on the Internet, just what is in the letter.  However, Y&R is keeping it close to the vest.   And, so too is Nikki’s portrayer, fan favorite and long time series star Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki)!

However, On-Air On-Soaps sat down with Melody in her dressing room at CBS, to not only get a preview and a tease of her upcoming story, but to get insight on what it was like filming with the cast, Katherine’s memorial episodes that will air on September 3rd and 4th in back-to-back episodes, and the devastating loss it is for Nikki to be without her best friend who was also like a “mother” to her.  Will Nikki need a drink to cope and fall off the wagon?  Melody fills us in.

While Josh Griffith is no longer the head writer of the number-one soap, from this interview, it is clear that Melody is extremely enthusiastic as to the story that was given to her from his regime, and the respect paid to Katherine (and Jeanne Cooper) with the upcoming five-hankie memorial.  Here’s what Mel had to say about it all!

MICHAEL:

The letter Nikki has received has greatly affected her!  How will she handle getting through the upcoming memorial service for Katherine?

MELODY:

Courtesy/CBS

I think that having received the letter probably alters Nikki thoughts while she is at the memorial service, because for her now, she is not just there to remember her dear friend as a person would at a memorial, but in the back of her mind is this letter that is all tangled up for Nikki.  She can’t think of Katherine without thinking about the letter and what that entails.  She has mixed feelings more than just sadness and grief.  She has got a whole other element going on … this letter.

MICHAEL:

How was the shooting of Katherine’s memorial on set with the cast?  Was it difficult and emotional for everyone, given their love for their long time co-star Jeanne Cooper?

MELODY:

I think, and we all said at the time, “We were still in shock and we didn’t believe it.” We needed to get through the taping of the show, but we’re still not used to Jeanne not being there.

MICHAEL:

Given that Nikki and Katherine were the dearest of friends, would Nikki start drinking again, especially given the drama surrounding the contents of the letter, and the death of her confidante?

MELODY:

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Absolutely! And, that was one of my first thoughts when this whole thing started.  I said, “Whoa! This is an obvious point where she might pick up a drink.”  But she doesn’t, not yet.  She did admit to Victoria that she almost took a sip, but she didn’t.   She is still sober.

MICHAEL:

How did you play Nikki’s reaction to the content of the letter?  How does she feel about it?

MELODY:

Uncertainty, shock, ambiguity, unwillingness, yet knows deep down that she should do what Katherine is suggesting.  It’s a topic that Nikki probably felt would never be discussed, or dealt with in her lifetime.

MICHAEL:

Many fans had hoped that Katherine would end up being the biological mother of Nikki!  Was that something you wanted to have happen, as well?

MELODY:

I think it should have happened.  I was not happy when all of a sudden it was Jill who was Katherine’s daughter.  It should have been me, dammit!  (Laughs) Their relationship was very much mother/daughter, and I wish that had been true.  I did call Jeanne “mother” off set, and that is all I did call her.  And sometimes we would have visitors on set, and they would over hear me call Jeanne, “mother” and they would say, “Wait a minute?  Is Nikki Katherine’s daughter?”  And I went, “No, no, no.  I just call her that. Pay no attention to me.”  At least I called Jeanne “mother” in real life, even if I couldn’t on the show.

MICHAEL:

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Nikki is devastated by the death of Katherine … and obviously the letter.  Initially, she turned to Jack for comfort, not Victor.  Will she truly let Victor comfort her in her grief?

MELODY:

Of course!  Victor is struck by the death of Katherine, but in a different way than Nikki.  He had a different relationship with her.  His was more business, and a lifetime friendship.  Nikki’s was more, as a girlfriend and as a mother.  I think if given the opportunity to satisfy Nikki’s hopes, Victor would comfort her.  But, she does not bring this up to Victor, and has not yet.  So he does not know the contents of the letter.  He does not know what Nikki is struggling with secretly.

MICHAEL:

When you found out what your upcoming story was going to be, what was your reaction?  Were you pleased?

MELODY:

I love this story!  Now, I don’t know how it’s all going to turn out, but the premise, the people I get to work with, and the writing, has been spectacular.  That’s all you need; good actors performing a good script, and our fabulous new directing team, and I love them all.  I have not been this happy at work in a while.

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Nikki went to Paul at the end of the episode today for help!  Would you say to your fans that you will be working with Doug Davidson (Paul) more often from this point on?

MELODY:

I have been working with Doug the last couple of weeks and enjoyed it, like I always do. So, I hope that the story keeps us together for a while.

MICHAEL:

On the air shows, Nikki is always concerned about Sharon (Sharon Case), and what she is up to. She does not trust her, especially around the Newman clan, and many times for good reason!  Do you enjoy this rivalry?

MELODY:

I love working with Sharon Case, and we love Sharon and Nikki fights!  And even if Sharon is innocent and up to nothing, Nikki always suspects that she is.  Oh yes, even if it weren’t true, Nikki walks into a room and sees her son and Sharon, and the antenna will go up and she is going to try to get rid of her! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

The classic bitch-fight between Nikki and Sharon was the one in the barn where you were dunked in that bucket of water!  Did you love that?  Or, hate it?

MELODY:

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We loved it.  Our director was very gracious, and was very loose and not rigid about blocking, and let us do our own choreography.  So, if you look at it again, there are many elements of an “I Love Lucy” episode.  Guess where that came from?  But I couldn’t resist it.  I had to do it!  All the water and hair pulling and dunking in the bucket, that was all me, because that was “Lucy”!

MICHAEL:

Coming up with the heartbreak of Katherine’s passing, and the letters roaming around Genoa City, do you think Victor and Nikki are in for another bumpy road in their relationship?

MELODY:

Of course! I mean, what else could happen?  This cycle has been going on for 34 years.

MICHAEL:

Are you still amazed that Nikki and Victor are still, to this day, the true star-crossed lovers and central characters of the number one soap in America, and known worldwide?

MELODY:

Yes, and Eric Braeden (Victor) and I often, whether it be at photo shoots or different events, we are posed while the photographers are going crazy.   That always ceases to amaze me!  We were in Monte Carlo and they were screaming, “Oh, my God. Victor and Nikki.”  We would look at each other sometime and go, “We can’t believe after all these years, we are still here, baby!”  We are amazed, and we just thank God, and smile!

MICHAEL:

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Do you have a favorite on-screen moment or scene with Jeanne Cooper, between the two of you as Nikki and Katherine?

MELODY:

The sincerity, and all of the rich history that was a part of Nikki and Katherine’s enduring friendship, is something that I know is very important to our audience.   That relationship has been deeply significant for Nikki for so many years.  I don’t think I could ever pick out just one favorite moment between us, but I’ve truly enjoyed every scene where Katherine supported Nikki through the worst parts of the battle with booze.

MICHAEL:

Will Nikki soldier on, even though she may be devastated by the contents of the letter Katherine wrote to her?

MELODY:

I think Nikki will always try to heed Katherine’s advice in life in general.  Certainly without Katherine this current storyline would not be happening.  It’s also a way of incorporating Katherine’s presence, even though you are not seeing her on-screen. Katherine is behind the whole thing in the letter.  So it is keeping Katherine alive, in a way.

MICHAEL:

Jess Walton (Jill) has delivered some amazing performances, upon Jill learning of Katherine’s passing.   Would you like to work more with Jess now?

MELODY:

Courtesy/CBS

I love working with Jess, and I adore her.  I got on my knees and begged her to get her ass out of Oregon and move back down to Los Angeles, and delay this damn retirement, because I want to work with her!  Now that Katherine is not physically on the canvas, the story just begs for Nikki and Jill to come together in some way in story.   Katherine’s death in a strange way has brought Nikki and Jill together, because all they have done is snipe for years.  But, there are some very poignant moments coming up where Jill and Nikki can almost laugh, like, “We have always hated each other, but I kind of like you right now, because we are all suffering together.”  It was sweet, because Nikki and Jill have never been sweet to each other!

MICHAEL:

Melody, do you feel the way Katherine’s death was handled on-screen was appropriate?

MELODY:

Absolutely, and some of it was just a fluke.  Who knew in real life how she would pass? The way it turned out, as we all know, we had that footage of Jeanne as Katherine going up the stairs, which was pretty freaky.  And do I think that Jeanne might have felt that it was her last scene?  Yes.  I think that is why she adlibbed, what she adlibbed.  And as far as the writers go, they had a difficult job, as they would never have chosen to kill Katherine, but because Jeanne’s health had been poor the last few years, it was always a possibility.  I felt for the writers.  They had a tough job to do, but Jeanne helped them with that staircase scene.  It worked out very well; in that the last time Nikki saw Katherine they were wheeling her into surgery.

MICHAEL:

Do you think we will need hankies for Katherine’s memorial service?  I hear Corbin Bernsen is presiding over it as Father Todd! 

MELODY:

Courtesy/CBS

I have to say it was odd to have the character of Father Todd being played by the real-life son of Jeanne Cooper, Corbin Bernsen.  It was weird, and he felt weird.  It was just a very unique situation.  I don’t think that has ever happened on a television show, nor would it again.  It was eerie.  I told him Corbin something the day we taped the memorial service, about the month before when Eric and I were in Monte Carlo.  We had to present an award at their film festival. And, who on earth would have orchestrated something like this? I know that Jeanne did it!  There we are in Monte Carlo backstage getting ready to be presenters, and they announce us, and we walk out … and on stage was Corbin Bernsen!  Little did we know he was on stage, because he was on the panel that voted at the festival!  So, at one point there was just the three of us on-stage in Monte Carlo.  It was just like, “Ok, I know what you are doing, Jeanne!”  That was the moment, and something she would do. The most unexpected place, people, and that gathering of the three of us, was definitely orchestrated by her!

MICHAEL:

Melody, you have been the leading lady of Y&R for decades, and many times you have been back-burnered, which your fans have never understood.  Should they feel confident that you will have plenty of screen time in the months ahead?

MELODY:

It’s a curious situation that I don’t know if we will ever know the answer.  There has been a lot of ebbing. (Laughs)  I have been working a lot, and you will see come September … “It’s Nikki month!”  So, I guess I will have to get t-shirt saying that! (Laughs)

Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

MICHAEL:

What do you think the fallout will be from the content of Nikki’s letter, when people on the canvas begin to find out what this is all about?

MELODY:

I would imagine Nikki’s story will affect a lot of people, including her family, because eventually they are going to have to find out what is going on.  There is always a trickle down effect in soaps, where the whole town is affected by a situation.

MICHAEL:

Y&R suffered the loss of two of its most powerhouse actresses in the last few months.  Jeanne Cooper passed away in May, and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) decided to leave the show this summer.  Do you think it’s a huge hit for the show, that will be a noticeable for some time to come?

MELODY:

Its’ always difficult to say goodbye to our dear co-stars, but history has proven to us that this show will go on in true show business fashion.  Most of the time, when people leave it’s not our choice, or personal choice, and we are always upset to see that happen, as it does create a challenge for the writers.  But sometimes out of that situation, the writers come up with interesting story that never would have happened if this actor had not left.

Courtesy/CBS

MICHAEL:

Now the big and final question:  If Nikki finds out that Sharon switched the paternity test of Summer, and realizes Nick (Joshua Morrow) is actually the bio-dad; can we look forward to Nikki laying the smackdown on Sharon? (Laughs)

MELODY:

Oh, yeah!  Look out for a catfight extraordinaire for that one!  Forget shoving her in the pool!  It better be something better than that!  (Laughs)