Amelia Heinle has played Victoria in “The Young and the Restless” for almost twenty years. For AlloCiné, the actress of the cult soap opera looks back on her journey as a strong woman of the Newman clan…
In The Young and the Restless, the character of Victoria was once played by Heather Tom. But in 2005, Amelia Heinle landed on the show and took over the role of the daughter of Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) and Victor (Eric Braeden).
Almost twenty years after his arrival and on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the soap opera broadcast by TF1 (Monday to Friday at 11 a.m.), AlloCiné spoke with the actress. For us, this one shared her memories…
AlloCiné: Did you feel pressure taking over the role of Victoria almost twenty years ago?
Amelia Heinle: Yes, a lot. I had acted in other soap operas and I had heard of Heather Tom in our medium. Everyone said she was a great actress, she had received awards… I wanted people to like my version of Victoria. We both have different styles but I had my work cut out!
Do you remember your first day on set?
I was very nervous but I had worked in soaps before. I knew what to expect… That said, I had to work with Eric Braeden, Melody Thomas Scott and Peter Bergman [Jack, ndlr] the same day ! I started first with the latter and he was very professional, kind and welcoming. He had put me at ease, like the whole team for that matter. Then Eric and Melody came along and they were…awesome. This first day went very well and I told myself that it was going to work very well.
Do you have a favorite plot?
I liked the starting plot around Delia’s death. How she was killed, and then the repercussions and dealing with all those emotions… It was really intense. Satisfying, too, because we had been praised for this plot. We had been able to play by digging deeper.
But I like funnier plots as much, like when Victoria came back from Italy and was an expert in the arts… We laughed so much with Joshua Morrow and Don Diamont [Nick et Brad, ndlr] because the story sometimes went very far (laughs)
Thad Luckinbill, your husband, resumed his role as JT a few years ago. His character became abusive towards Victoria. Wasn’t it strange to play for you?
It was hard and weird… (laughs) The plot went one way while I was imagining something else. Sometimes the scriptwriters tell us the main lines but we don’t know how it will end. Here, I didn’t really know what they were doing…
In the end, working with Thad was great because I miss not playing with him anymore. He did everything to make the result great. I also did my best to imagine how Victoria felt. However, it was still a bit ridiculous when we buried his body in Chancellor Park (laughs) It might seem realistic at first and then not really… but it was fun! I loved working with the other girls.
I believe the series was in transition [des changements opérés au sein de l’équipe créative du feuilleton, ndlr] when they said JT had a tumor. I think the writers wanted to save the character and make him catch up, so he could come back! Thad wanted to have this opportunity. And since it’s a soap opera, the idea of a brain tumor seemed like the obvious solution to justify JT’s behavior (laughs)
Who is the best companion for Victoria?
Probably JT. Also, they have a son together. And I don’t even remember why they divorced! William [Jason Thompson, ndlr] is too unpredictable for Victoria when JT would have been the perfect partner… Well, if they had stayed together (laughs)
Do you think it’s more William and Victoria who will end up together?
(laughs) I have no idea. The fans want them to get back together even though I also feel like they are tired of watching this! They have two children so it could work in their favor to give themselves another chance… But did William have all the women in Genoa City? I don’t think… (laughs) Once he does, maybe he’ll come back to Victoria!
Victor and Victoria have a complicated relationship even though she is his favorite child… Why are they always arguing?
Surely because they are the same! That said, they squabble a lot because of Adam [Mark Grossman, ndlr]… She can’t stand it while Victor still has a soft spot for her son. Victoria may feel like Adam is the favorite because their father always gives him another chance…Victor is the ultimate father anyway because he manages to keep his people together no matter what. .
How do you prefer to play Victoria: as the ruthless CEO of Newman Enterprise or as a dedicated and fun-loving mother?
I love when I am given the opportunity to be funny! Otherwise, I appreciate that she is a great businesswoman showing her vulnerability. I hope people see her soft side through her tough side. I want people to see that she’s not that stuck up (laughs) It helps the audience identify with her. Finally, I like to play the mom part but it hasn’t happened in a while. I don’t even know where his children went! (laughs)
Who is Victoria’s biggest enemy?
She always finds a way to make the silliest choices in relationships! She knows what she wants but sometimes it leads her to a dead end. But she has to make mistakes… So she’s probably her own biggest enemy.
Could you be friends with her?
No (laughs) I think I’m the actress in the cast who is furthest from her character! I’m not like her at all: I’m not interested in the job, I’m not stuffy… People think of me as some kind of hippie! I couldn’t be more different from her.
The soap opera The Young and the Restless celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023. What does this mean to you?
It’s incredible. I can’t believe the show has been around for so long, I’ve been a part of it for so long….Time flies. The Young and the Restless series is important to so many people around the world. It’s crazy to know that people are watching us in France!
When people ask me what I do for a living and say that I’m in The Young and the Restless, everyone knows! It’s generational and that makes this soap opera unique. And the fact that Eric and Melody are still here is inspiring.
Do you plan to stay a while longer in Genoa City?
As long as they want me (laughs)