Stars React To Emmy News!
Soaps In Depth staffers have been on the phone with Daytime Emmy Award nominees all day, offering our congratulations. Here are just a few of our interviews, so keep checking back for more updates!
“I was so surprised, I couldn’t believe it,” confesses Genie Francis, nominated in the Lead Actress category for playing THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Genevieve. “I feel like I’ve had tremendous good fortune with this new show, and I’m thrilled to be part of them.” Headwriter Maria Arena Bell phoned Francis this morning to share the news of her nomination. “We get up very early over here. The kids go to school at 7 a.m., so we were all up when I got the call. It was a very nice surprise. I really did not expect it.” For her reel, the actress submitted the scenes where Genevieve tells Jack about her daughter that died and needing to get a divorce from Colin. “It was a very long, heartfelt speech and it ends with them sleeping together for the first time. Genevieve came on so angry, and bitter and driven for revenge, but that scene told the audience why.”
It’s been a while since John McCook (Eric, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL) was last nominated, but he’s kept a sense of humor about it! “[My wife] Laurette said, ‘Finally, you get another nomination!’ I said, ‘Well, I’m glad I wasn’t holding my breath! I’d be long dead!'” In all seriousness, the actor adds that his submission of scenes between Eric and Stephanie where he brings her a gift, hoping to get more intimate with her, were quality ones. “He talks in very adult terms about his needs. I was very glad to have scenes that talked about something adult. The adults on our show talk a great deal about the young people, and that’s okay, but let’s keep being interested in these adult characters.”
Although she’s taken home Emmys in the Younger and Supporting Actress categories, B&B’s Heather Tom (Katie) will be competing for Lead Actress for the first time. “The category change makes this year very special for me,” she confesses. “I kind of debated whether I should or shouldn’t, and I was like, ‘I’ve been on daytime for 22 years and if I can’t compete in Lead at this point, I should just hang it up!'” Returning home from an early-morning yoga class, Tom found out that her scenes following Katie’s heart attack had done the trick in bumping her up on the category ladder. But as far as being the first to win the Trifecta, Tom says she isn’t putting the cart before the horse! “I’m just happy with a nomination!”
For Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe, Y&R), a live video chat played a part in how she learned of her nomination. “It wasn’t airing here [on the West Coast] yet, so my mom called me on FaceTime. But they didn’t finish all the announcements on TV, so I had to go on-line to see the rest. Thankfully, my name is really long so it stands out! My eyes went to that directly and I couldn’t believe it! I was screaming my head off!” For her scenes, Hendrickson submitted the episode in which Chloe learns of her daughter Delia’s cancer. “Now, we only get to submit one show. This year, I had this amazing show that had a full arc, everything wrapped up in this sweet little package. I guess the Academy always loves a good cancer story! My biggest competition, I know, is Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth, GENERAL HOSPITAL) because her baby died!”
Naturally, Y&R headwriter Maria Arena Bell is thrilled to see the soap nominated in the Best Drama, directing and writing categories. “I’m very happy for the acting nominees we have — Genie, Christel [Khalil, Lily] and Lizzie. It’s great to see Debbi Morgan (Harmony), Darnell Williams (Sarge) and Missy Egan (Chelsea) all nominated because it honors their work on ALL MY CHILDREN. They so deserve it.” Of course, the scribe was disappointed for her colleagues who were not recognized. “There were certain standouts this year that I was surprised weren’t nominated,” she confesses. “To have a year where you don’t see Michelle Stafford (Phyllis) or Peter Bergman (Jack)… [Thomas Scott, Nikki] had a brilliant year with the alcoholism with her special show, that we submitted as one of our Best Drama shows. She has never been more brilliant. The list goes on and on of people I wished I’d seen nominated. They tried a new system this year; it got some new names in there. I hope that those actors who I’d hope should have been nominated know that they helped bring to life the nominations we received for show, writing and directing.”
While Shelley Hennig (ex-Stephanie) has moved on from DAYS OF OUR LIVES and now stars on The CW’s hit drama THE SECRET CIRCLE, she hasn’t forgotten her daytime roots. “I woke up to an excited voicemail from the DAYS hair and makeup room,” she says. “What a nice surprise! DAYS was my first TV family, and this nomination reminds me of that. I’m also in great company with my friends Molly Burnett (Melanie), Jacqueline MacInnes Wood (Steffy, B&B) and Christel Khalil (Lily, Y&R). So happy for the all the DAYS nominations as well!”
