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Y&R’s Melody Thomas Scott Reflects on ‘Intense and Very Satisfying’ Material Ahead of Receiving a Lifetime Achievement Honour at the Daytime Emmys (Exclusive)

melody thomas scott lifetime achievement emmy interview

The Young and the Restless’ Melody Thomas Scott is set to receive a Lifetime Achievement honour at this year’s Daytime Emmy Awards alongside her husband, Emmy Award-winning producer, Edward J. Scott.

The TV Watercooler had the opportunity to chat with Scott ahead of Friday night’s 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards to chat about the family preparations for the awards, the legacy of Victor (Eric Braeden) and Nikki, and her most recent storyline where Nikki fell off the wagon thanks to the evil Jordan Howard (played brilliantly by Colleen Zenk) in what the actress shared she’s so “blessed” to have given material that was both “intense and very satisfying.”

Congratulations on being honoured with the Lifetime Achievement honours at this Friday’s Daytime Emmy Awards along with your husband, Edward J. Scott. How does it feel? I’m sure it will be a big night for the whole family!

Yes, it is! We are inviting special guests and people who we feel were instrumental in our careers and supportive friends. So, it’s not just us in that audience. It’s going to be our family and special friends. It’s going to be exciting!


We’ve got daughters, so we’ve got hair, makeup, and a glam squad set up all around the house so that everybody can get [ready]. There’s a hairdresser and a makeup artist in each team, so our house is going to be a madhouse beforehand!

melody thomas scott lifetime achievement emmy interview

It’s really well-deserved. Creatively, do you miss working together?

No, I don’t think so. I mean, you’d have to ask Edward that! But, no, I don’t think we feel one way or the other about it. It was just circumstantial. And now, The Bold and the Beautiful gets to enjoy him. We had many decades of enjoying [his work]. We’re sister shows where we shoot right across the hall from each other, so we’re all one big Bell family!

Nikki’s latest storyline with Jordan (played by Colleen Zenk) has been amazing to watch. It looked like you were having so much fun with Colleen!

Oh, yes! Yes! I love it when Nikki falls off the wagon and in this particular story is the best one yet. I’m enjoying!

I love having Colleen [on the show]. We’re all having a great time and so much fun doing it.

melody thomas scott lifetime achievement emmy interview

How familiar were you with Colleen before this story? She had been on As the World Turns as Barbara Ryan for so many years. Did you ever meet before?

You know, we got our heads together and thought hard and we realized that over all these years, we had never met – which is unusual because if you’re with the same network, CBS, and go to New York for the Emmys, you would usually run into people from the other shows. But no, Colleen and I had never met. Better late than never!

melody thomas scott lifetime achievement emmy interview

My favourite Nikki is when she’s a lush. She’s sober now. How long do you think that’ll last? And she dragged poor Jack (Peter Bergman) off the wagon with her!

Oh, I know the scenes that you are referring to. That was quite something! It was a monumental episode, certainly in my career, and Peter’s too.

We’re so blessed that we were given that material to do because it was intense and very satisfying.

[As far as Nikki’s sobriety], I don’t know. Every now and then, the script will kind of tease that, you know, is Nikki going to fall off again?! Usually on a soap, when there’s a tease, there’s trouble coming! So, we’ll have to wait and see. God knows they don’t tell the lowly actors! We never know what’s coming in the future and that’s probably best that way.

melody thomas scott lifetime achievement emmy interview

Oh, yes! What was so amazing is that it’s pretty rare for a soap to celebrate any kind of anniversary and still have the original actors. We have a lot of longevity amongst our cast members, which is so wonderful to have.

It’s very rare that you can celebrate 40 years together on a show, but I attribute that to our chemistry that started way back in the very beginning at The Bayou [the club where Nikki performed] and is still active today. Thank goodness!

melody thomas scott lifetime achievement emmy interview

During the pandemic, many of the show’s younger fans got to see some of the show’s most class moments. We got to see the fashion, the hair and some of the most-missed cast members like Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor) and Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters). What was it like for you and the rest of the cast to relive those moments through new eyes?

It was great fun because we hadn’t seen most of these episodes since they [first] aired, so it was really fun! I think as much fun for us as it was for the fans. I know it was very popular.

Out of all of Nikki’s rivalries, which ones are your favourite?

Favourite in terms of catfights?

Sure! Let’s go with the catfights!

She’s had a few over the years, but I’d have to say my favourite is with Sharon (Sharon Case).

You mentioned to me before that you both are actually close off-screen.

Yes, we’re great friends and we both love getting down and dirty. We miss it! We haven’t had a catfight in quite some time.

We do miss it because we have a “no holds barred” [approach]. We’re up to anything the other person wants to do! It’s not going to upset the other. Usually, when you’re blocking a fight scene or things like that, maybe one person will say, “No, I don’t want to do that,” or “I don’t want you to slap me,” but Sharon and I are both like, “Whatever!” when the gloves are off!

melody thomas scott lifetime achievement emmy interview

A quote from William J. Bell [the show’s co-creator] that you referenced to me before that always stuck with me was “Conflict is the essence of drama.” What would you like for Nikki’s next conflict to be?

Oh, well, there’s no telling! I feel that she can stir up conflict just about anywhere. And Bill was absolutely right. You have to have conflict, certainly for a soap or any ongoing program, that you want people to keep tuning in. Without any conflict, it’s boring. So, I don’t really care what kind of conflict.

But well, you know, I shouldn’t say that because Jordan could show up somehow! [Laughs]

Although, that would be fun!

melody thomas scott lifetime achievement emmy interview

If you could play any other character on the show for another day, who would you choose?

Hmm, I would like to be Nicholas (played by Joshua Morrow)!

You know, Nicholas is very even-keeled and tempered, and he’s so handsome! All the girls love him. He loves his momma! He’s a great character. I’d like to be him.

The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on Global and CBS. Canadians can catch up with episodes on demand, the Global TV app, STACKTV, and at GlobalTV.com.

Watch on Apple TV

The 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards air this Friday, June 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Global and CBS.

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