Barbara Crampton took young and restless‘ Leanna Love has gone from short-lived, unbalanced villain in the late 1980s to one of the show’s funniest and most infuriating characters to set foot in Genoa City.Now the actress rewards Liana for a limited run Y&R, starting Friday, March 24. Watch the feminist biographer character bring her intrusive reporter persona into the storyline of the 200th anniversary gala. Y&RMs. 50th anniversary celebration.
TV Insider spoke with the actress, who is known not only for her soap roles but also for her vast body of work in the horror film genre, about her return. Read on for a fun chat with a fan favorite.
You were originally planned for the short term: Leanna tries to kill Ashley (Eileen Davidson), probably failing, and then somehow leaving the canvas.But Bill Bell [Y&R’s head writer, senior executive producer] See what you are doing on the screen and the one redirected.
Barbara Crampton: yes. I was brought in for maybe 3 months. For some reason Bill liked what he saw and figured I could make something out of it.Rihanna by Stephen Lassiter [Rod Arrants] mentally unstable patient.I talked to some psychiatrists and came up with this borderline personality [character] with a psychotic attack. That’s what I played. You can’t keep it up too long! So they redeemed me greatly.
Well, redeemed Liana…
[Laughs] To the point!
yes. The entertainment level did not drop.
That’s the beauty of melodrama. It’s hard work. At the same time, writers are watching you and can play to your strengths. They see what you do and write on it. No one was really doing comedy.Terry Lester [ex-Jack] To some extent it did with the flirtatious attitude he was playing. I tried to do it, but they started writing on it. It developed between the writers and myself and the people I worked with.
After that, you were working with a lot of other people on the show.
I think the show is doing it. They try to put the characters together and see what sparks. For example, there may be harmless-looking interactions taking place on the elevator screen, but they’re looking for something.
Francis Specker/CBS
of course. There were a lot of on-screen chemistry tests.
That’s why I’m trying to do chemistry with everyone! It’s my conscious choice. I think it’s an actor’s job to have chemistry with everyone. I try to find that in every actor I work with.I can’t imagine doing my job without chemistry.
Chemistry can happen, but if not, how can it help create it?
It’s about looking at someone and being interested in what they’re saying. Cheating may also occur. It depends on who I am with. You can build close relationships with many people. I try to be interested in who I act with. It’s either cheating or conspiracy. It’s about being open to what the other person gives me.
One of the great things about Leanna is that she has a history with so many people. She helped break up Victor (Eric Braeden) and Nikki’s (melody thomas scott) Leanna (aka Nora Randall) married when she wrote about Ashley’s abortion in her unauthorized biography of Victor Newman. MercilessWhat was it like when you started working with other people?
I was grateful. I felt like I was working with a big gun.I used to start with Terry Lester Peter Bergman took over the role of Jack. I’ve been with so many great performers, Eric and Melody. You can’t take your eyes off them when they hit the screen. I used another soap— days of our lives [as Trista Evans Bradford] — for about a year. That was my first job. I had my feet wet.
Working with Eric and Melody was scary at first, but they’ve been great to me! Everyone was great. I had a great time with them. It was a very exciting time for me. Leanna recovered mentally and dealt with love and loss—all things that matter to humans.
Not all villains can transform like Rihanna. Bill often wrote about his villains, but if he saw something in an actor…he would find a way to keep them.
Bill was a master at doing it. He was able to understand how to massage a character and transform him into someone his loyal audience would accept.
Leanna had this amazing line up for Katherine at the Prime Minister’s Office (Gene Cooper) she is Jill (Jess Walton) Two Timing Rex (Quinn Redeker) and John (Jerry Douglas)…“So this is how the other half “loves”. ‘ Remember that?
I don’t [Laughs] But I’m glad you are!
Can we preview Leanna’s return? Do you have material to sink your teeth into?
I have to say that in the first few days they gave me a lot of dialogue. I had to retrain that muscle. Must be ready for performance. It was a little tough. I hadn’t used that muscle in a while, but it worked. Raleigh [Bell, Christine] was watching one of the scenes i was doing Kate Linder [Esther]. she said. I’m Liana! you are awesome! “I had to say that I think the writers wrote really well for me. They understand who Liana is. It was like no time had passed.” It felt like the same character.
They made me talk to almost everyone at the party. There was a lot about what was going on in the enterprise. It was exciting.My first scene was with Peter Bergman Susan Walters [Diane]i know peter he is a mensch Susan is very nice. She is this amazing actress. I felt so welcome back in her family.
You played other roles… Trista, Mindy guide lightand Maggie bold and beautifulWhat role do you get the most recognition for while on the go?
Oh, definitely Leanna Love. people remember me She’s a bigger than her life character.
Are you open to coming back for more?
of course! They have called me several times over the last ten years or so. The only reason I haven’t had one before is because I live in San Francisco. I’m doing other thingsI informed my agent that I was back. [Los Angeles]I reached out and asked. They said “absolutely”. It was a great time.
It was so nice to be back to everyone. In particular, Laurel went out of her way. Now that her parents are gone, she’s become an ambassador for the show, and she used to message me saying she’s so happy I’m back. She didn’t have to. But she did. I really appreciate it, it shows the character of her family in which she grew up. I’m glad that she accepted the cloak.
There’s another world you’re involved in: the horror genre. Are there any similarities between the world of horror movies and the world of soap?
yes. As long as I’ve been doing soap operas, I feel like I’ve done horror movies. Horror films not only depict rising fear, but also heroism and eventual triumph. There are high stakes in soap too. There are similarities with fandom. Someone who loves scary movies, is enthusiastic and loyal. So do fans of soap operas. they love their stories.
What comes to your mind in the world of horror?
I have three or four appointments — Last stop in Yuma County and blackoutI was in another movie. It’s a festival and I’m looking for a distributor. I play a comedy role in that movie. The biggest project I’m putting out is a movie I’ve been shepherding for the last few years.it is called proper meat and Heather Graham [Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me] is the lead. It’s really fun and cool and deals with time travel.
i enter Jacob’s wife, which is out now. I’m playing a vampire in it.I executive produced a movie JK Simmons [Oscar winner, Whiplash] being called glorious. he is great.there is also a little [humor]A lot of the movies I do lean toward comedy. I like to infuse a lot of my projects with humor. Life is full of absurdities. I’m looking for a silly moment that could be put in a movie. I want to entertain One of the commandments of an actor is, “Don’t let him get bored.”
young and restlessweekdays, CBS
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