Soap Opera Digest November 7, 2022

Before joining Y&R as the mysterious Jeremy Stark, it had been nearly 15 years since James Hyde last appeared in soaps — playing good-guy police chief Sam Bennett on PASSIONS — but it wasn’t for lack of trying. “When I wanted to make my re-entry into the daytime world, I always said it had to be on Y&R,” he begins. “I just felt that it was a really top-level show, so I’ve read a few times for them. I had just been in for a screen test for another role that I didn’t get, but I had hoped I left them with something where they would remember, ‘You know, he did such a good job, we could use him somewhere else.’ Two days later, I got an email saying they…

B&B returns to its fashion show roots for the first time since the pandemic by featuring a fashion show this week. “It felt so wonderful,” enthuses Annika Noelle (Hope). “Like, we’re finally getting back to some sense of normalcy. I believe it’s the most background performers we’ve had on set since the pandemic started and it was just so great to work with everyone, from the models to the FC employees…. They made the fashion show come alive. Those days can certainly be long because there are so many moving parts — and wardrobe changes. But I really have to say it all came together so beautifully. The directors kept us on track, and wait until you see what hair, makeup and wardrobe accomplished. It was such an amazing collaboration…

Valentin’s joy at reuniting with Charlotte in Switzerland is significantly tempered when he gets word of Anna’s arrest back home. Valentin has been separated from his daughter for months, ever since Victor began using her as a pawn to make Valentin do his bidding. Sets up James Patrick Stuart (Valentin), “When Victor said to him, ‘All right, you can go see Charlotte, but it has to be on my terms and it has to be right now,’ it cuts right to the core of who Valentin is as a man and a father who wants the chance to see his child again. He is putting on a brave face and trying to make Charlotte think that everything is roses, while at the same time trying to figure out a way to…

Nate is shocked to find Elena at his front door upon her return from Baltimore, especially since their last conversation before she left didn’t go well. “With time and space, Elena’s perspective on the situation has evolved,” explains her portrayer, Brytni Sarpy. “Considering the work she has put into her relationship with Nate and the love shared between them, she isn’t ready to throw it all away without exhausting every effort to try to save their relationship.” Which is why Elena tells Nate that she didn’t take the job. “She’s open to seeing if a reconciliation is possible,” notes Sarpy. “She wants to know if Nate has finally sobered up to the reality of his actions and is ready to take full accountability.” However, when Nate shares that he’s accepted Victoria’s job…

Alex formulates a plan to help Stephanie get back in Paulina’s good graces. Having lured Sloan to the Kiriakis mansion for some fun and games involving a blindfold and handcuffs, he gets his hands on the blackmail file she’s been holding over Paulina’s head. When Maggie interrupts their sex-capades, Alex passes the file off to her, then presents it to Stephanie later. “Stephanie is shocked and grateful,” admits her portrayer, Abigail Klein. “She never expected Alex to be the person to deliver exactly what she needed. Stephanie still very much has her guard up when it comes to him, but this is kind of a moment where she’s opening up to the idea that maybe he’s on her side in some way.” Stephanie heads to see Paulina and hands her the incriminating…

With Bryton James (Devon, Y&R) How have you been liking your current storyline with the dissension at Chancell-or-Winters? “I’ve been loving it. For years, even back when Kristoff [St. John, ex-Neil] was still here, we’ve talked about how we needed to have a company where it was about the Winters family, so to have a company that represents both the Chancellor and Winters legacies is pretty incredible to me.” There was this assumption that because it was a family operation that everybody would get along but that hasn’t been the case. “I knew from day one that if Nate was in the picture, there would be a problem. I’ve had this in my head ever since Neil passed away and in his will, he put Nate on the board of Hamilton-Winters. Devon…