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Y&R’s Gina Tognoni, Jason Thompson & Amelia Heinle Talk On Philly, Villy, And Each Other!

By Michael Fairman

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Photo CreditL JPI Studios

Three of The Young and the Restless most talented actors and fan favorites: Gina Tognoni (Phyllis), Jason Thompson (Billy) and Amelia Heinle (Victoria) chat with Michael Fairman in his latest video offering on The Michael Channel.

Shot on the set of the top-rated daytime drama series inside Phyllis’ apartment, Gina, Jason, and Amelia weigh-in on a myriad of subjects including: what are the chances that Billy will ultimately end up with Phyllis, even though he has currently been hacking into her computer for some vital business intel? Is Philly the eventual end game, or could Victoria get her former hubby back, now that she has made it known that she wants him back? Will Villy end up being reunited?

Recently, Victoria has been suffering severe headaches, leading many to speculate that something is seriously wrong with her. Might there be a clue in this video conversation on where that story is headed, and what is wrong with her?

Everyone in the soap genre knows that Gina, Jason,and Amelia are all powerhouse performers, but you will also find out what they think of each other, participating in social media, and some more entertaining nuggets when watching the video.

After the jump, check out The Michael Channel’s sit-down chit-chat with Gina, Jason, and Amelia. Then, let us know if you are Team Philly, Team Villy, or are you rooting for the characters to wind up romantically involved with other people, and if so whom? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Filly Villy , both pairing are snoozers…..

I agree, rocky83… however, I am not as turned off by Villy as I am of Filly.
Something else that turns me off? Cane’s man-boobies. HaHa!!

JFP told her pet toy Thompson that Billy was a spoiled rich smug arrogant playboy and that how he plays him and he needs to take his sneakers and go

Agreed – Jason Thompson is ill-suited for the role of BIlly Abbott – we need Billy Miller back ASAP!!

Great interview! Drunken Phyllis + headache Victoria + fun-boy Billy = a daytime three-way?

You do come up with great ones, Mister Media. Love it….

Did anyone get the feeling that the women couldn’t stand each other? Everything they said, was kind of said through Jason.
I especially love your idea of a soap talk show, and am surprised that no one has come up with the idea before. I know, I would watch, as others would, I am sure.

THIS is a show that should be on the daytime schedule. A thoughtful interview show that takes the genre seriously and treats the actors like the artists they are. Michael is the perfect interviewer for a show of this type. Forget the cooking and lifestyle shows. A great soap talk show like this would really please the loyal daytime audience. It would also be cheap to produce and promote the soaps. Seems like a win-win for the network and the audience.

Yeeesss!!!!

Loved the interview and I am enjoying the story line…I know so many people are complaining about Y&R being boring but IMO it’s not…I enjoy the character driven story lines but I will admit we do need some more suspense and mystery…I would love for Nina Arvesen to return and to shake up Paul’s world and I would love for Jaime Lyn Bauer to return as Lori Brooks…

Exactly, Kevin C….so well said.
It is not so much that the stories are boring. They are flat, walking a straight line with a safety-net waiting at the end of it. As you said: no suspense, no “be still my heart”.

I admit that I loved Villy when it was Billy Miller and Amelia Heinle who were portraying Billy and Victoria however, after that, I just couldn’t connect with them. I feel that the showrunners just keep forcing Victoria and Billy and just won’t make them grow apart as separate characters but even in the past when Victoria and Billy were together, Billy wasn’t 24/7 Victoria as he is written now.

I loved Philly since 2016, because I felt they connected to each other on a level that they haven’t before because Phyllis of course was recovering after finding out that she was sleeping on Marco, instead of the man who she thought was her husband in Jack. And of course that was Victor fault for bringing Marco in Genoa City in the first place.

I feel what Phyllis was missing from her husband (support, love, understanding) she received from Billy. It seems that Jack just couldn’t read Phyllis pain and even wanted to get Victor off the hook, whereas Billy risked it all for Phyllis and was by her side and that’s why I started loving Philly and I feel in 2017… since Sally Sussman has been in charge, she has sort of messed up their relationship and trying to make it ONLY about sex when it was always more than just that. These two people fell in love.

With Victoria, I just feel it’s time for her to move on from Billy and be with someone else. Like I loved her best in recent memory when she was with Travis, she just seemed more happy and free and it was better to watch.

Sadly right now, I am team NONE OF THE PAIRINGS.

I really like Billy and Phyllis. I think they have magnetic chemistry and just plain sizzle. Victoria makes me want to take a long nap. That kiss, from a week or so ago, was just so boring, forced, and awkward-IMO.

I don’t know, dmr. I respect your opinion. There’s no right or wrong how one feels.
But, as for myself, it’s not a matter of Phyllis and Victoria in regard to Billy.
For me, it’s a matter of Jason Thompson’s Billy and Gina Tognoni’s Phyllis.
Michelle’s Phyllis was sort of evil when she first walked on stage. But she turned the proverbial ugly ( mentally, that is—not physically) duckling into a redeemed, consumate, body-made-to- wear-anything, swan.
Michelle Stafford has that natural beauty and savoir-faire which Gina tries to achieve but fails, nonetheless……Just as Jason Thompson will never attain Billy Miller’s ( as Billy Abbott) boyish mischievousness.
We accepted them both because their personaities made the characters’ personalities shine.
Perhaps Gina and Jason would have made the number one couple in another time on another soap, but not as Phyllis and Billy.
We all have our faves—I, personally do not like either Gina or Jason in these roles. Gina is not the typical sexy, femme fatale ( not even on OLTL, albeit I loved her as Kelly), and I never considered Jason as the hunky stud. He was only ok to me as Patrick ( GH).
Besides, I cannot even picture the original Billy and Phyllis together. Maybe that’s what’s turning me off. There’s an indelible picture of the ‘real’ duo in my brain. LOL.

Oh, sorry, dmr….I forgot.
I don’t like how the PTB are turning back the clock on Phyllis. They are turning her back into the conniving, duplicitous, untrustworthy “B”…..the Phyllis of old.
She is playing devil’s advocate. Never a good idea to engage in double-dealing for the sake of a man. Truth always comes out….and it will bite her in the arse.

I’m rooting for Billy to be donated for medical research and for Phyllis and Victoria to find their brains and good taste.

And it’s not Phyllis’ apartment, it’s Summer’s.

Hahahaha !

Thanks for the sweet interview. Philly are my favorite part of the show. Great build-up in 2016, awesome chemistry and there’s still so much potential to explore. Can’t wait for some drama and fighting because of the Jabot vs B&S war. I also liked Victoria with Benjamin. The character was supposed to be this slimy ruthless businessman but the actor put some honesty and naturality in the portrayal. Could be an interesting addition to the show.

I love Billy and Phyllis together. Victoria is so boring and has zero chemistry with Billy, IMO. That kiss was so forced and so awkward. Phyllis is a woman and just sizzles-brings excitement to Billy’s life! Sick of Brash and Sassy and Jabot “war.” It’s boring.

I couldn’t help but notice the three stars each came from a different ABC soap. I still miss Jason Thompson as Patrick. They really should have made him the star of the show and not Sonny.

Downtownla, I totally agree about Jason Thompson, loved his portrayal of Patrick…I think Jason is a fabulous actor and a lot of people don’t like him as Billy but I do and I think he is doing a wonderful job.

I always felt that Jason Thompson, was not used to his full potential on GH, but on Y&R, he’s given something to dig his teeth into, showing his acting chops, while having two strong women fighting over him.I also love Billy Miller, but like him better on GH, with one woman, he is so loyal and protective of. What drives me nuts is, if he isn’t the original Jason, than where did these feelings for Sam come from?

Y&R REALLY NEEDS TO MOVE ALONG THESE DRAGGED OUT STORYLINES….YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU REALLY DONT CARE WHO BILLY IS WITH! ALL GOOD ACTORS…NEED GOOD STORYLINES… AND ENOUGH OF MOANING JACK!!!!!!!

Jack!!!!! I have never liked Jack, the infant, JK. He needs a binky. Even during his ‘redeemed’ phase, I detested him. Always disgruntled and trying to find a way to rock one of his “victim’s” boat.
He ruined Patty, and got away with it. I wish a healed, mentally stable Patty would return, and stick it to him.
In some instances he’s worse than Victor—both need a massive dose of “grow up” vitamins.

The problem isn’t Gina Tognoni, the problem isn’t Amelia Heinle, the problem is Jason Thompson. He’s just not Billy, not in any way. He always comes off as sneering and petulant and certainly has never shown any remorse for stabbing his brother in the back. Whichever woman is unlucky enough to land him will be stuck with an eternally self-indulgent manchild for a mate.
Let the worst woman win.

It’s all about karma, boes. Jack has stabbed his own father in the back when he slept with Jill, his step-mother.
It’s sick and disgusting to me how these shows have no regard for morality; yet, we see so much ‘holier-than-thou’ going on…it ‘kinda’ blows the mind. Eg: Bobbie and Carly (GH).
It does not excuse Billy, of course…..and, it definitely IS about Gina’s Phyllis. She is no Michelle Stafford, who owned the role.
I doubt if there would have been a romantic liaison if BM and MS had still been on the show. I guess we all have our faves, and although through no fault of theirs, some of us resent th ‘newcomers’ as usurpers. Unreasonable, I know, LOL.
JT is all wrong as Billy, I have said this since day one—-but, Phyllis’ transformation depicted by Gina is worse. I have been lamenting the ‘obscenity’ of her winning the Emmy, when so many others deserved it so much more, in my humble opinion.

You want to tell me why Billy would destroy his fathers conpany these three are the reason I tape and delete! Ugh

Right, Kay. Makes no sense.

Loved Johnny’s first day of school. So blond and cute, could be Billy Miller’s son for real. He does not resemble Jason Thompson in any way, since he plays his bio dad.

Agreed, Violet ( love your name). Thompson has come a long way as Billy, but, I still miss BM.
It is what it is. Sigh….
Something else that bothers me is that Chelsea, Johnny’s bio mom, has completely forgotten she has another son. So weird. How could she live in the same town, frequent the same places, see the same people, and go on with her life? She gave birth to him. How does she love one child and dismisses the other???
Y&R should revisit this wrong and make it right. I would have fought Billy and Victoria tooth and nail to, at least, get visitation rights, come hell or high water.
Also, shouldn’t Connor and Johnny know they are brothers? TPTB should think ahead….these boys will be sorased sooner or later. What then? How to explain the silence?

Celia thanks for your reply. I have thought as you do, many times about Chelsea’s feelings toward Johnny, or lack thereof. There was a night time show a few years ago, One Tree Hill, where two brothers, each not knowing about the other, as rivals, found out they were brothers( same father) and became best friends. I would like to see something like this happen here. Johnny has Katie, and Johnny MAY have Christian, although I am not as convinced as everyone else seems to be that he was fathered by Adam. I do want him to be Nicks.

We seem to be of one mind in this, too, Violet.
I always believed Christian was Nick’s….said more often than not……albeit, we never really know what TPTB will do when they come to the crossroad.

The body language speaks volumes.

General Hospital

Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)

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Maura West and Kelly Sullivan

It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.

The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.

Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.

Photo: JPI

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST

Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”

Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”

Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”

Photo: JPI

KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL

Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”

You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.

So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!

 

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General Hospital

Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’

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Steve Burton

The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.

TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.

That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.

Steve Burton

Photo: ABC

STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES

GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.

Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).

Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.

GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS

Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.

Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.

Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.

So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.

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Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027

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Jess Walton

The Young and the Restless enduring favorite and two-time Daytime Emmy-winning actress, Jess Walton (Jill Foster Abbott) is set to release her memoir!

Kensington Publishing has revealed on their website that Walton’s book The Young and the Rest of Us is now available for pre-order while listing an April 27, 2027 release date. In addition, in June of 2027, Walton will mark her 40th anniversary with The Young and the Restless and her debut as Jill.

The official log lines for the memoir share, “Emmy Award-winning actress Jess Walton, known to millions as the iconic Jill Abbott on the #1 soap opera The Young and the Restless, shares her extraordinary journey to stardom, sobriety, true love, and self-discovery in this startingly candid, intimate, and star-studded memoir.”

Jess Walton

Photo; Kensington Books

CAKE FIGHTS AND CORPORATE INTRIGUE

The book description for The Young and the Rest of Us adds,  “In June 1987, Jess Walton walked through the artists’ entrance at CBS for her first day on The Young and the Restless,where she had just been hired to play the recast role of Jill AbbottTwo Emmy awards, four decades, and countless onscreen affairs, marriages, corporate takeovers, and cake fights later, she’s a beloved icon with an astonishing tale to tell.”

“In her refreshingly candid style, Jess shares her journey as a young actress from Toronto theaters to Los Angeles, where she found herself at the center of a Laurel Canyon circle that included the likes of Neil Young, David Geffen, Laura Nyro, and Joni Mitchell. Landing a Universal contract and a steady stream of guest starring roles, Jess embraced everything 1970s L.A. had to offer—including Hollywood parties fueled by limitless booze and drugs, and trysts with stars. She recounts with candor and gratitude the surprising path that eventually led her to sobriety, true love—and ultimately, to fictional Genoa City, Wisconsin, and the role of a lifetime.”

“Brimming with behind-the-scenes drama and celebrity cameos to delight fans, The Young and the Rest of Us is also rich in personal, relatable truths about marriage, motherhood, empty-nesting, self-discovery, and finding the courage to start over—as often as it takes. In a voice as fearless and frank as Jill’s, but with, humor and grace all her own, Jess Walton looks back on a life as unpredictable, and adventure filled as anything she has portrayed on screen.”

WHO ELSE PLAYED JILL FOSER ABBOTT?

Fans of The Young and the Restless know that Walton became the fourth actress to take on the role of Katherine Chancellor’s original nemesis Jill Foster back in 1987. The OG Jill was played by Brenda Dickson, also Deborah Adair, Bond Gideon and Melinda O. Fee played the part.

This year, Days of our Lives star Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts) filled-in for several episodes for Walton who was unavailable to travel from her home in Oregon to Los Angeles where Y&R was taped. Walton is still with the long-running soap opera as Jill.

So, excited to learn of Jess Walton’s upcoming memoir, ‘The Young and the Rest of Us?’ Will it be it a must-read for you? Drop a comment below.

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