411 on Soaps

Lindsay Hartley, 32 ( Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald, Passions / Arianna Hernandez, DAYS )

Amelia Heinle, 37 ( Victoria Newman, Y&R / Mia Saunders, AMC / Steffi Brewster, Loving/The City )

Oliver Macready, 38 ( Romeo Jones, GL )

Mathew St. Patrick, 42 ( Adrian Sword, AMC / Marcus Taggart, GH )

Lesley-Anne Down, 56 ( Jackie Marone, B&B / Lady Sheraton, DAYS / Olivia Richards, Sunset Beach / Stephanie Rogers, Dallas )

Patrick Duffy, 61 ( Bobby Ewing, Dallas/Knots Landing / Stephen Logan, B&B )

Sloane Shelton, 76 ( Loretta Fowler, Another World / Harriet Corbman, ATWT )

Thad Luckinbill and on and off screen wife Amelia Heinle (JT and Victoria Hellstrom) welcomed baby girl Georgia March on December 17, according to Soap Opera Digest.

As most of you know I write columns for All My Children, but I aslo love Young and The Restless. Today the topic on my mind is about Amelia Heinle who plays Victoria Newman. I Know a lot of fans online do not care much for her portrayel of Victoria. (Gigi!) In fact, many fans want Heather Tom back, or another recast of this role. I personally am a huge Amelia Heinle fan and I think she is a terrific actress. She is one of my favorite’s in daytime television for sure. So I do not really understand all the hate against her work. Amelia does an amazing job in this role and her chemistry with the Newman clan; Eric Braeden and Joshua Morrow especially Melody Thomas Scott. MTS is amazing and I love watching these two actresses together. I just hope fans can appreciate the great job she is doing.

Thanks!

Brian

Victoria Newman (Y&R) is, and always has been, a complex character. She craves control and is driven by a need to please her powerful and overbearing father, business tycoon Victor Newman. Like most women, and her mother Nikki, Victoria is also driven by love. At this time, Victoria is unhappily married to J.T. Hellstrom and is an adoring mother to young son Reed.

The most memorable actress to play Victoria was Heather Tom (1991-1997). Heather grew up on the set of Y&R. We watched her grow from the spoiled Newman brat that we hated with a passion to a beautiful and savvy businesswoman with a mind of her own. “All good things must come to an end.” Heather decided that it was time to explore her other options. Her exit was hard for some fans to take.

Sarah Aldrich portrayed Victoria for a brief stint in 1997. Sarah gave it good go, but her portrayal of the character was not what fans were looking for. Sarah was let go when Heather’s hiatus came to an end. After six more years on the show, Heather Tom left again, for what could be the last time. “Never say never!”

Victoria, on the other hand, returned to Genoa City two years later with a new face, Amelia Heinle. It took some getting used to, but fans eventually warmed to Amelia’s version of the character. Amelia lives a soap opera within a soap opera. Her husband on the set, J.T. Hellstrom, is also Amelia’s husband in real life, Thad Luckinbill. So what comes after love and marriage? Babies! Amelia and Thad are having a baby and this surely means that a maternity leave will be in order.

Rumors are swirling all over the internet that Amelia will be replaced by Emmy winner Tamara Braun. After some contemplation, we have come to the conclusion that this, if true, could be great for Y&R and us too! Tamara was amazing as bad-girl-gone-good Carly on GH, delightfully confused (but not) as Reese on AMC, and totally psychotic as Ava on Days, proving that she can cover just about any angle Y&R might throw at her.

What about a little wishful casting? There is an abundance of actors and actresses on the market now that a certain CBS soap has met its demise. Let us imagine a future in which Gina Tognoni portrays Victoria Newman. The possibilities are endless!