no reason for Y&R to give it up because I am not there anymore, so there’s no benefit to them.
COVER STORY:
THE END OF THE AFFAIR
Emmy winner Jess Walton speaks out about her disappointment over losing Tristan Rogers as her definitive leading man, what soap fans really want, and why she may leave Y&R!
Don’t mess with Jill Abbott — or her insanely loyal, discerning, and passionate fans! Two-time Emmy Award winner Jess Walton enjoyed a creative renaissance of sorts last year when her lovelorn character, Jill Foster Abbott Fenmore, fell for the love of her life, Colin McAllister, Cane’s real father. Their highly entertaining and sexually charged romance captured the imagination of viewers internationally in a way Walton has never experienced a love interest before. Not that Walton had that many to talk about. But bygones. In this seemingly youth-obsessed industry of ours, Colin and Jill’s mass popularity was a pleasant surprise in many ways. F*ck Madison Avenue.
Which is why when Y&R fired her leading man, Tristan Rogers, fans went ballistic — and like many of us, a disappointed Walton was not happy.
In her first major interview since Rogers was fired, La Walton looks back at Colin and Jill —and what’s ahead — with UNCENSORED for one can’t-miss interview.
What’s this I hear — you moved to Oregon?
My son and his wife wanted to move outside of L.A., so we all decided to look somewhere where they had all the seasons without the violent seasons, you know? Not Montana. Somewhere beautiful where you could raise kids. So I’m commuting back and forth. We just bought a big log cabin with a barn. It’s so great. We’re going to have horses and everything. It’s fabulous!
Well, if you ever need a houseboy, I’m game. When did you move?
Last November.
As a respected soap vet, how do you feel about all the recent soap cancellations? Did you see this coming?
It’s strange…. Everything that’s been happening in the soap world. But yes, I did see this coming. I saw this whole thing coming years ago. There’s nothing that can be done to change it, I don’t think. Years ago, my husband said, “You guys have to do something about all this reality stuff.” But there’s no changing it. People want reality, and they’re going to get what they want. What can I say? I think there are ways we can delay [the inevitable]. I have my own ideas of what soap fans want from a soap….
What are those ideas?
I think they want to see their favourite characters. They want the families intact. They want to see interpersonal relationships. They want to see everyday life instead of cops and car chases. They want to see character reactions. After something dramatic happens, they want to see what Gloria will say. Do you know what I mean?
Yes.
And when I say “they,” I mean our old-fashioned, diehard fans. I don’t think this new generation will become the soap fans the way you and I became soap fans. But, having said that, I think we still have a huge amount of baby boomers left that like soaps.
Niche advertising to the baby boomers could easily solve the problem because it’s a huge, lucrative market. I also don’t buy this erroneous assumption that older consumers are stuck in their buying habits. It’s simply bullshit Madison Avenue has created.
[Groans] It’s such a lie! I’ve never understood why networks are buying into that [corporate propaganda]. I change brands all the time, and I’m in the forefront of the baby boomers.
What are you talking about? You’re 39, damn it! [Laughs] What do you think of the influx of all these ALL MY CHILDREN and GUIDING LIGHT actors on Y&R?
Well, I make an exception for Tristan Rogers. But he was off GH for a long time. And he became such a Y&R favourite. There is no doubt there are wonderful actors from other shows on Y&R now, and I love them, but I don’t think fans want to see the Y&R brand watered down. I hope our show isn’t unrecognizable to a lot of fans. I don’t want to be disloyal to our show, and I’m sorry if anyone doesn’t want me to say that, but I feel it needs to be said because I love this show. It’d be easier to digest if the addition and introduction to these actors and characters was more organic and happened slowly, you know what I mean?
I think if the right role comes up for a soap-hopper, then cast a fan favourite. But unfortunately, I think Y&R is working backwards. They cast the actor first, then come up with a role. Character should come first — always. Marcy Rylan worked, for instance. Did the passionate audience reaction to Colin and Jill’s surprising romance take you by surprise?
I didn’t realize it! When I remember our first scene together, Jill was sitting in a coffee shop, and Colin came over to sit down but nothing much happened in the scene. But slowly, the love story started to develop. It was interesting to see a man, who really is a mob boss, truly fall in love. It was a really nice idea. Jill, who had always been deceitful, really opened up to Colin because he was so nice to her, especially after Cane “died.” Colin and Jill’s love affair truly made these people who were really flawed better human beings. They were really happy together. Unfortunately, we were alone in that argument! [Laughs] That was the only fly in our ointment.
The fans have mobilized on social media and are demanding you guys be reunited. There was a bit of mystery involved for me, which made your coupling more fascinating, because I wasn’t sure if Colin really loved Jill, and vice versa. I suspected Jill and Colin truly loved each other — but I wanted them to start fresh without the lies. The psychology their love story introduced made them an atypical romance, which got me all wet as a soap fan on many levels. Colin and Jill had a five-year love story ahead of them, tops! Thoughts?
They loved each other to death. They adored each other. They also adored the best in each other — and their love made them feel like good people. I think Tristan and I are on the same page with Colin and Jill. But we were really fighting City Hall because there was another story being told [with Cane’s history]. Colin and Jill evolved almost by accident. I just wish someone in power had recognized the magic of Colin and Jill.
While Katherine is probably the love of Jill’s life, I think this is the first time Jill’s had a lover worthy of her grit. Likewise, this is the first time you’ve had a leading man worthy of your talents to call a co-star. Jill’s always been hard to pair up romantically, huh?
Remember Ji Min?
Oh, right! I loved Eric Steinberg — and I even miss his Emmy toga! Totally forgot.
We had a racial and age difference, but it was never acknowledged and I love that it wasn’t. We adored each other — and they fired him. And remember, Jill had her boy toys. And then there was Stark. You’re right… Colin and Jill were a true love story. Which is why Tristan being fired destroyed me because I felt like Colin and Jill were one of my greatest storylines ever on the show in 26 years.
What was the reason you guys were given for Tristan’s departure? Was it story-dictated?
I think it had something to do with Cane’s storyline, but I’m not sure. You’d have to ask Tristan. All I know is they had some gold with us. Not just in our love storyline, but in Tristan because he’s such a good actor. We have a lot of women of a certain age on our show — and not a lot of men.
Colin and Jill have a lot of young fans out there. I know because they tweet me every day demanding Tristan’s return to Y&R.
I also thought Y&R handled Colin and Jill very tastefully, too. I’m always cognizant of the fact if things get too risqué. And it didn’t. Well, the only time it got kind of risqué was when handcuffs got involved at the end there!
Had you met Tristan before?
Never met him before!
Wow. What was it like working with Mr. Rogers?
It was great. We spent a lot of time working on our scenes because so much about Colin and Jill was internal stuff. And it wasn’t there on the page, so we prepared a lot to make it work. I’ve never had this much fun creating a story with anybody as I did this one with Tristan. He’s just a great actor. He’s so flexible….
I he
ar! [Laughs]
And so funny! When Colin and Jill were having sex under Lauren’s desk, he bumped his head really hard on the desk. He added that — and it was just hilarious. We did my hair very funny, too, like THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY! [Laughs] Tracey Bregman was teasing me about my hair in that scene. We had fans write in asking what was wrong with my hair! I was like, “Um, you’re missing the point!” It was just so much fun.
Tristan’s aged very well… he’s such a handsome man.
He’s a very, very handsome man. I really felt like Tristan and I were collaborators.
You’re not so bad yourself, you Tigress! Have you given up hope that Tristan may not come back to Y&R? He’s currently on GH —poor guy! — but we don’t know how long that will last, especially since ABC has given away its timeslot to KATIE.
Exactly. There’s always a possibility that he could come back. It would be so wonderful. At least for me, anyway. The door is not shut.
One beat of the love story I really dug and appreciated was the fact that in the end, Jill became a mother, albeit a stepmother, to Cane, a man she always thought of as her son —and, at one point, believed he was. It was kind of karmic.
It really was a great story! I thought! [Laughs] Thank God I
Soap Opera Uncensored: Issue 16 Page 2
