Victoria Rowell returns to Y&R........sort of......

[TJames03]

https://soaphub.com/young-restless/...errer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From %1$s

They only invited her back because they would have looked petty if they did not and she would have RAN with it. Is she going to be in or out of character?

I wish they would have had Dru's remains found and finally close the door on this openended mystery of whether Dru is dead or not......

 

[Daniel Avery]

When I read that she would be appearing in the tribute episode, I thought "They'll probably offer to do her interview segment at her home." Not that they want her to be comfortable--they just don't want her to set foot in CBS Television City. Once she got in, she'd probably chain herself to the banister in the Abbott living room set and refuse to leave.

 

[TJames03]

Veey true. It is just so odd that the show will not officially close the door on the chaeacter of Dru. Every recast the of Dru has failed, so just retire the character......

 

[TJames03]

Actually, she was allowed on the set. God, I would have killed for that same day to be the one that Michelle Stafford returned!!!!!!

 

[Daniel Avery]

Everyone would do a spit-take, as it were....

 

[ChrisSumner]

I thought bringing her back for the tribute was classy on their part. You couldn’t do justice to Kristoff’s memory without acknowledging the huge success of Dru and Neil. Especially for black people (as we saw with the outpouring of love when he died), they are hugely important. Soaps to give black actors the credit they deserve, but Dru, Olivia, Malcolm and Neil are a major part of how Y&R remained so successful in the 90s and 00s.

I hope this would eventually lead to a return. If Michelle Stafford can return after saying how much she hated being there, refusing to work with Peter Bergman, threatening costars and lets not forget the spit-take, then I think you can bring Victoria Rowell back who simply asked for equal rights. In the post Me Too era it would be nice to see her blacklist lifted.

 

[TJames03]

The only prob is that Dru has absolutely no ties to the show anymore. Most all of her family is gone, but Devon. What would she do on the show?

Is Bergman a monster or something? Rowell had severe probs with him, too. Stafford seems like an Uber bitch on wheels, though....

 

[ChrisSumner]

I completely disagree. I think it was foolish to get rid of Lily. She should be back on contract, which would mean Dru would have two kids on canvas. Nate is her nephew. Mattie and Charlie are her grandkids. She could help anchor the family again. I think her return is one of few vets that could really give them a potential ratings boost.

Most of the upcoming cast changes are fine, but won’t set the world on fire. Michelle Stafford as Phyllis will be nice, but the character is already there and well received. Bringing back Kevin is pointless as he’s served no purpose for years. Adam is coming back, but they always seem to tell the same story with him.

Of course the biggest problem with bringing someone like Victoria Rowell back is the lack of screen time for the black actors. They ran Mishael Morgan off and barely feature who they have, usually just once a week. The actress they cast as Ana is one of the most charismatic performers they’ve cast in years and she’s had chemistry with everyone she’s come into contact with. Compared to the other people in her age range she’s isolated and barely gets any screen time which is obviously due to her race. They’ve made good moves recasting Nate and bringing in family for Ana, but if you don’t write for them it can’t benefit the show. Same goes for bringing back Dru.

 

[TJames03]

Other than being a sounding board to her children, etc., there is nothing for her to do.

 

[ChrisSumner]

Other than being a sounding board to her children, etc., there is nothing for her to do.

I disagree. I think you can easily make a case for Olivia and Dru to be back full time. In addition to anchoring the family, both are still well connected through the Abbott’s for one and with Dru you have her friendship with Sharon and rivalry with Phyllis. With time you could develop a love interest for her and everything would be set. Having a character like Dru back would give a strong matriarch to ground the Barber-Winters family.

 

[TJames03]

I think that there is a better chance of seeing Brenda Dickson and Michael Muhney return that ever seeing VR allowed to return as Dru!!!

 

[ChrisSumner]

Yes I agree with that. Daytime soaps are historically racist and after calling them out for that they won’t let VR return. I just hate they shut down Brad Bell when he tried to get her on B&B and also DAYS when they tried to cast her, but it isn’t surprising considering how black actors are treated.

 

[TJames03]

Any idea what part VR was to have taken.on DOOL? Was it a recast Valerie?

 

[ChrisSumner]

Any idea what part VR was to have taken.on DOOL? Was it a recast Valerie?

For B&B she was going to play Dru or a new character. Her emails with Brad Bell were part of her lawsuit. He was the one suggesting it but the network blocked him. Then DAYS was casting for a judge and wanted a name actor. Marnie Siatta is the DAYS casting director who previously worked at Y&R and she asked Rowell to audition. When Sony found out they refused to let her audition. I still wonder what happened with the lawsuit, but the terms are confidential.

 

[TJames03]

VR and the NBC thing started right around when Vanessa Williams was recast as legacy character, Valerie, so I just assumed maybe that was the character.....