In the realm of daytime soap operas, a few certainties prevail: 1) Unexpected evil twins will emerge. 2) There will be baby-switching scandals. 3) You never lay a hand on Victor Newman, the mustachioed tycoon of The Young and the Restless. While the first two are ironclad rules, Heather Tom, who portrayed Victor’s daughter Victoria Newman from 1990 to 2003, challenged the third.
Tom, 49, recalls the nerve-wracking moment she defied soap opera norms and slapped her on-screen father, portrayed by Eric Braeden. “No one dares to slap Victor Newman,” Tom reflects, recalling the dramatic scene. “I was genuinely frightened. I thought, ‘Oh my goodness.’ It was scary, really.”
Although unsure of the aftermath, Tom bravely stepped into the scene, which resonated strongly with viewers. In the early 2000s segment, Victoria confronts Victor for driving away her boyfriend, Diego Guittierez, from their fictional town of Genoa City.
Despite occasional storms in their characters’ relationship, Tom cherishes the acting lessons she learned from working with Braeden on Y&R. “I adored working with Eric because every scene was a surprise,” Tom shares. “You never knew where it would lead. It was a thrilling learning experience that required intense focus and agility. It was an extraordinary acting exercise.”
Tom, a two-time Daytime Emmy winner on Y&R, transitioned to playing Katie Logan on The Bold and the Beautiful since 2007, accumulating four more Emmys. She has recently shifted focus to directing and writing, having directed 36 B&B episodes and penned six scripts.
In a notable accomplishment, Tom became the first woman to write, direct, and act in a single episode of a daytime show with the March 27th B&B episode, joining a select group that includes Amy Poehler and Gillian Anderson. Reflecting on the logistical challenges, she expressed her excitement for this achievement.
The popular soap opera, The Young and the Restless, is shown on CBS every weekday. Please consult your local listings for specific air times. For more details, you can read the original article on People’s website.
