Camryn Grimes – The Young and The Restless

A) The whole process of returning to “The Young and The Restless” was a crazy whirlwind! Initially, it was four to six episodes that turned into twenty episodes that showed no signs of slowing down. It was at that point that I asked if my current role of “apparition” was going to develop into something more, which to my surprise was a ‘yes.’ To be honest, it was such a secretive process that even I didn’t know what was developing until I read it in a script. All I knew was that she wasn’t Cassie (my original role) and rolled with it!

A) I was utterly surprised because it really did come out of nowhere. I had no idea what it would develop into, if anything at all. All I knew is that I was in for whatever ride they wanted to take me on!

A) I got incredibly lucky that from the get-go the writers injected a good deal of my own personality into who Mariah was so there wasn’t much to be added! It’s been so easy for me to play her. I’m just thankful that I’ve had such adept and intuitive writers.

A) The nature of soap operas is that drama is never far off! Halloween is going to be a crazy time for the citizens of Genoa City and Mariah will be no exception.

A) There was and I think that’s why the pairing has been so successful! Greg and I always laugh because initially it was such a random and unusual pairing, but as the writers kept writing for us and “Keriah” kept gaining momentum, we realized that our quirky personalities really lent to something fun and different for the show. We’re a little offbeat and we love it!

A) All of the incredible one liners I’ve got to deliver! Some of them crack me up so much that getting through a scene is difficult. Other than that, I’d have to say dumping a pitcher of water on Abby (Melissa Ordway) was pretty fun!

A) Absolutely nothing! I had been nominated the two years before and each year my family told me the same thing…”It’s an honor to be nominated, but you’ll never win.” It’s not that they weren’t supportive or didn’t believe in me, but I was a little kid competing against grown women! They wanted me to have realistic expectations and just to have fun, not be concerned with winning or losing. So it was NEVER something I expected or anticipated. I was probably just waiting for the show to be over so I could eat! [laughs] If you look back and watch the footage, I barely know what’s happening for the first couple of seconds! The roar of the audience and the sheer shock of the moment gives you this numb sort of elation. I’m surprised I could speak when I got to the microphone!

A) Social media was definitely not a thing when I first started on the show in the 90s so its been a really amazing platform to explore now that I’ve been back on the show for a bit. I think what I love about it the most is you can build a relationship with your fans, not just as your character, but as yourself. That instant access to them and them to me makes for a really supportive fan base and I don’t think I’d be anywhere without them. Sharing myself and my life is my way of showing them I appreciate them and letting them be a personal part of my journey.

A) Mariah is a deeply flawed character, but is making a real effort to change certain behavior from her past. You’re going to continue to see Mariah battle those two aspects of herself in the hopes of becoming a better person. The question is, will she succeed, or will her flaws get the better of her?

A) Thank you for your support and belief in me. The best is yet to come!