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Going For The Gold On March 14, the nominations for the 28th Annual
Daytime Emmy Awards were announced. CBS.com was invited to celebrate with some of
The Bold and the Beautiful's nominees. Check out their reactions!
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series Nominee SUSAN FLANNERY
(Stephanie):
CBS.com: Congratulations yet again.
SUSAN FLANNERY: Thank you very much.
CBS.com: How does it feel to be nominated for the second year in a row?
SUSAN FLANNERY: I was very surprised and delightedly so. I'm still kind of not
believing that it actually happened because I hadn't thought about it. When the call
came this morning I was really just like, "Whoa!"
CBS.com: What will you do to prepare for going to New York?
SUSAN FLANNERY: Let's see. I better diet! [Laughs] Because we always party a lot
when we get there. We had a great time last year and I'm looking forward to all the kids
who are coming from upstairs [in the B&B office] and a lot of the other actors. I'm
looking forward to really having some time to spend just away from the show and
having a great time.
CBS.com: Last year, you organized a luncheon for the other nominees in your category.
Will you do that again this year?
SUSAN FLANNERY: I think one of the New York actresses should do it this year. I set
the precedent. One of them should do it, Susan [Lucci, All My Children] or Martha Byrne
[Lily, As The World Turns], who I have to call and say congratulations to.
CBS.com: When and how did you find out the news?
SUSAN FLANNERY: The phone rang. I was in a deep sleep. It was my producer,
Rhonda Friedman, and [because] I had a cold when I answered the phone it didn't
sound like me. There was a long pause and she went, "Susan?" I went, [clearing her
throat] "Yes." She said, "It's Rhonda! You've been nominated again!" So she was really
excited.
CBS.com: Who were the first people you told?
SUSAN FLANNERY: I called John McCook [Eric], Justin [Torkildsen, Rick] and Adrienne
[Frantz, Amber] immediately. They had just been told. Then I called Ian Buchanan
[ex-James] and told him and he was excited.
CBS.com: What scenes will you consider submitting?
SUSAN FLANNERY: I have no idea. I haven't even thought about it. The kids upstairs
who picked the stuff for last year seem to think there's stuff, but I don't know. I can't
remember anything!
CBS.com: You have had a great year in storyline.
SUSAN FLANNERY: Wow. I absolutely agree with you. Katherine [Kelly Lang, Brooke]
and I had a fabulous [year] and I honestly thought Katherine would be nominated this
year. I must say I was very disappointed for her. I really thought [she'd be nominated].
She's had so much stuff that's been wonderful. She's matured and grown and developed
as an artist and I was terribly disappointed. CBS.com: What have you done over
the years to keep your character fresh and exciting for yourself?
SUSAN FLANNERY: I think you kind of have to think it's like real life. There are certain
changes and as you grow and mature, different characters make those adjustments. I
think the writing makes adjustments, too, in taking the characters in different directions
that are subtle, but they're there. I just take the material and run with it.
BEST ACTRESS: Susan Flannery (Stephanie, B&B)
In a year when several soaps (like As the World Turns) sent their powerful matriarchs to the back
burner or saddled them with puerile material, B&B wisely chose to showcase the immense and unique
talents of Susan Flannery. She is a gifted, thoughtful performer who always sells the material,
whether she's vamping with Sally or sharing a tender, almost embarrassing scene with Eric as she
struggles to recover from her stroke. Of course, it was Stephanie's obsessive, irrational hatred of
Brooke that gave Flannery the chance to really go to town. Flannery's Stephanie, formerly a mama
lion, has evolved into a force of nature — something you see on the Weather Channel rather than a
soap. The character and the material could not survive in the hands of a lesser actress, but Flannery
takes the material and, using her immeasurable skill, energy and dedication, turns it into arresting
drama that is sadly, no longer seen on soaps. We bow down in awe of this actress.
Outstanding Lead Actress
THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS
Susan Flannery, as Stephanie Forrester
Harkening back to 25 years ago…
(Laughs.) I know, it's a lifetime ago, isn't it?
You won an Emmy for your work on "Days Of Our Lives." Speaking as both a director and an
actor, how have the soaps evolved, in terms of both production and performance?
I think especially "The Young and The Restless" and "The Bold & The Beautiful" have, from a
production standpoint, pushed the envelope as close to doing a film nighttime show as possible,
considering the economics and the pressure of time that we have in daytime. Both shows win
technical awards every year for directing, lighting, sets, and the shows just have a beautiful look to
them, different than the New York shows, which are still done in kind of a flat studio lighting that we
did in the 60s (laughs) and the early 70s. I don't think I'm being prejudiced…I just think our shows look
really good production-wise, and I think we've pushed the envelope and it's made the other shows
follow in using camera movement much more, rather than being static and just cutting from sort of a
master to an over-the-shoulder then to a close-up. I think, also, you can't forget that basically daytime
is radio. It's so much dialogue, which is what the transition came from, from radio to daytime, little
15-minute shows. A lot of dialogue is cheaper than having to try and go outside and shoot. So, you
have the constraints of that. But I think it's come a long way production-wise compared to what it was
when I did "Days Of Our Lives."
How about in terms of performance?
Oh, I think we've always had wonderful actors in daytime. Elizabeth Hubbard has been in daytime
since I was, and she was doing "The Doctors." I cite her and…Ruth Warrick…and the wonderful New
York actress Charita Bauer on "Guiding Light." They've had fabulous people that have been on
daytime as far as performance goes...The acting on the shows, however, has become more
naturalistic, more toward what you would find in film versus broader performances that were there in
the early days of soaps. I think that's the influence of people having done film work.
Regarding acting and directing and the relationship between the two crafts, do you feel that
directing enriches your acting? Or does acting enrich your directing?
Both. They feed off of each other. If you have the opportunity to act, then I think it helps the
directing. And if you look at really wonderful directors in films, like Sydney Pollack, he started out as
an actor. A lot of actors have made the transition into directing over the years. They may not have
had big careers in acting, but they started out as actors. And I think that gives you a great insight into
dealing with the talent. Fortunately for me, because I acted with everybody on the show, they trusted
me. So when I would say something to them, they would usually accept my advice or direction. But I
do think acting first. And I tell anybody who ever wants to be a director, 'You should really go to the
Actors Studio or some master class with a really wonderful drama coach here in town and get
permission to sit in on their classes. Tell him that you want to direct or that you started directing and
listen to how the drama coach or the teacher talks to the students, to the actors. Because you can
pick up a lot of the lingo and see what's going on.' That's my advice.
Your character has run the gamut, from highly charged confrontations with arch rival Brooke
to life on the streets as a bag lady. Oh, I know. (Laughs.) She has had an opportunity to
explore a full spectrum of experiences and emotions. Where would you like to see your character go
dramatically?
Back into a nice, big, major conflict with Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang). That's been the spine of the
show for the 13 years, the conflict between those characters. And I think it's just a dynamic that really
works so well with the show and I'd love to see another huge big conflict with her again. She's off
having this mad affair with Stephanie's son and that's a big taboo for Stephanie. So I'd like to see that
continue in another big way like we did it this past year.
I'm sure the fans would love to see the rivalry reach another peak.
They don't seem to tire of that in any way, shape or form. I think it's because the history has been laid
in so beautifully between Bill [Bell] Senior and Bradley [Bell]. And I think Katherine and I just work so
well together. I was very disappointed that Katherine didn't get nominated this year, I must say.
Because I felt she deserved it. She's done such beautiful work the past 18 months. I was kind of
disappointed for her.
Outstanding Lead Actress - Acceptance speetch
THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS
Susan Flannery, as Stephanie Forrester
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LET ME JUST BEGIN BY SAYING I'M THRILLED. I'M
THRILLED TO HAVE THIS HONOR.
AND THEN LET ME TELL YOU THAT I HAVE TO SHARE IT WITH TWO PEOPLE BECAUSE I
WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT WITHOUT THEM. OUR VERY TALENTED WRITER BRADLEY
BELL. AND MY CO-STAR AND SCENE COMPANION FOR 13 YEARS, KATHERINE KELLY LANG
WHO HAS NEVER, EVER FAILED ME, NO MATTER HOW I TWIST TURN OR DO ANYTHING IN
A SCENE. NEXT YEAR FOR YOU, KELLY.
THEN TO THE REST OF THE CAST AND THE CREW WHO HAVE BEEN SO WONDERFUL. AND
ALL OF THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS WHO TAKE SUCH GOOD CARE OF US. THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
AND TO MY FOUR CO-STARS, JOHN McCOOK, RON MOSS, MICHAEL STICH WHO HAVE PUT
UP WITH ME FOR 13 YEARS SO GRACIOUSLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE YOU, TOO. I'M HONORED, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND TO MY FOUR CO-STARS, JOHN McCOOK, RON MOSS, MICHAEL STICH AND RHONDA
FREEMAN WHO HAVE PUT UP WITH ME FOR 13 YEARS SO GRACIOUSLY.
Outstanding Performer for the Week of August 2, 1999
(Soap Opera Weekly, Volume 10, Issue 35) Over the 12-year run of The Bold and the
Beautiful, we've seen Stephanie verbally rip into her archenemy, Brooke, countless times, but
never -- we repeat, never -- with that throat-clutching results viewers breathlessly witnessed
this week. In a tour-de-force performance, Susan Flannery pulled out all the emotional stops
(aided by blistering dialogue by Jack F. Smith and Michael Minnis) as Stephanie went to Big
Bear to confront Brooke, who was on the verge of seducing her third Forrester man
(Stephanie's youngest son, Thorne). Stephanie would let nothing stop her from ending
Brooke's reign over her family. It was a concurrent study in icy rage and hopeless despair,
a concentrated depiction of a normally sane person driven to the brink of madness and
attempted murder. Flannery created a chilling portrait of a woman in total control of her
faculties yet at the same time on the edge of losing it. She etched every nuance of Stephanie's
feverish feelings in harrowing detail. Most remarkably, despite the mania that Stephanie was
radiating, Flannery never let her performance become campy or hysterical. Stephanie was
beyond hysterical -- but, ironically, Stephanie's out-of-control behavior resulted in one of
Flannery's most tempered and poignant performances.
In one dramatic scene, Flannery's Stephanie was reduced to tears, realizing that she had almost
killed Brooke. The actress's visage and voice reflected the anguish and confusion Stephanie
was feeling. "You've made me crazy," she said to Brooke, in almost a whimper. "You've
pushed me and pushed me for years until I don't have anything left. You've made me sick."
Brooke was gasping for air, horrified by this madwoman before her. We were stunned, too, but
or a different reason. Through her awesome art, Flannery also had gripped viewers by the
throat.
Outstanding Performer for the Week of November 1, 1999
(Soap Opera Weekly, Volume 10, Issue 48)
A memo to the Voting Members of the television academies: We have Susan Flannery's Emmy
reel for next year's awards. We'll gladly surrender it once you give Flannery her long overdue
Daytime Emmy nomination. The Nov. 5 episode, in which Stephanie realized the limitations of
her condition post-stroke, once again proved Flannery to be one of the most talented actors
anywhere.
What's so powerful about Flannery is that her acting is tangible and real: She doesn't hesitate to
give herself over completely to the sometimes less-than-glamorous circumstances her
formidable character is in, lending even more credibility to the moment. After Stephanie caught
a glimpse of the wheelchair she'd need and looked down at her limp arm, it was as if the reality
of her condition hit her all at once. She suddenly began wailing, breaking into uncontrollable,
unrelenting sobs. That and Stephanie's prostestations complemented Flannery's ability to
seemingly drain her body of most of its energy. Flannery sustained that level of performance in
the following episode, creating two shows (that's all it takes for that Emmy!) that allowed
viewers to see a master in top form.
One on one with SoapCity´s Michael:
Considered by many, one of daytime television’s greatest assets, Actress Susan Flannery was
finally rewarded her second Daytime Emmy as Lead Actress this past May. Her portrayal of
Stephanie Forrester on CBS’s "The Bold and the Beautiful" has been nothing short of
electrifying. SoapCity Michael caught up with Susan after a day on the set of B&B. Enjoy
Susan’s thoughts on her Emmy victory, portraying Laura Horton on "Days" (in which she
garnered her first Emmy), the loss of her poodle and the art of directing and acting! Ladies and
Gentlemen of SoapCity.. Susan Flannery!
SC Michael: So, my first question is, that night, at the Emmy’s, how did it feel when you name
was called as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a daytime drama series?
Susan: I said it up there and I meant it, "I was thrilled", I was so happy to be up there.
It had been such a wonderful week, the whole week, everybody was so positive, they kept
coming up to me, you’re going to win, you’re going to win, I said don’t jinx me. Ian
Buchanan said "Everybody in NY voted for you, I know they have". You never believe
it. It ain’t over till the fat lady sings, and when the 3 fat ladies said it was me, I was
really happy.
SC Michael: When you submitted your scenes, did you know this was a very strong year for
you, with your material, you must have felt that?
Susan: I was totally taken by surprise when I got nominated. They called me in the
morning. Rhonda Friedman, my producer called me. I was totally surprised. I didn’t
even know first of all that it was the day of the nominations, and I didn’t even think
about getting nominated. But I’ve been on the show for 13 years and had some
wonderful stuff, but had never been nominated.
SC Michael: You won 25 years ago for Laura Horton on "Days of our Lives"?
Susan: Yes and the same thing happened. Bill Bell won his first writing Emmy and then
he won it again this year. Yeah, 25 years ago. The Emmys were a daytime program, on
NBC, and it was on the boat.
SC Michael: How did you feel about Laura Horton?
Susan: That was a very, very strong, wonderful character. And a real breakthrough
character in the late 60’s and early 70’s. And Bill Bell and Lee Bell weren’t the least bit
hesitant in making her a very strong person. You have to remember that was the whole
time during the civil rights movement and the women’s movement and this one of the
first women, a career woman and a mom at the same time, portrayed on television. It
was a very empowering character for a lot of women. We used to get all kinds of mail.
The number of women who would come to me over the years and say you inspired me or
inspired my daughter. The character and I was always touched by that.
SC Michael: Laura was a psychiatrist – and perhaps, involved in the greatest love triangle of
all-time?
Susan: We played that for 8 1/2 years, that triangle. Isn’t that amazing. Wow you
remember so well.
SC Michael: Stephanie’s quite a character?
Susan: Yes she is. Very strong. A real mother. , Totally different. She’s liberated, but in
a different way from the Dr. Horton character
SC Michael: Do you see Stephanie as an evil character, an important character….
Susan: I think she’s a great character because…. When we first started the show I said
to Bill Bell, you know, the audience will forgive Stephanie anything, as long as they
know that her main drive is love and survival of her family. I said, you know, people
identify with that. If you portray her that way the audience will forgive her anything.
And I think they do. But one of the great things that happened is Bradley, this past year,
giving her a stroke. It made her so vulnerable. And the audience had never really seen
her that way. That was a great stroke of writing and turning the character to the
audience.
SC Michael: Over the years many people have said, "You can give Susan Flannery anything
and she’ll make it work". Do you feel that way?
Susan: I do. That’s a very nice compliment. It’s very nice to hear. Something that you
think about yourself. I’ve often said that to Bill and Bradley, Oh I can make anything
work. That’s not from an arrogant point of view. Please don’t misunderstand me. I
guess I have confidence in myself, my talent.
SC Michael: When you started out as an actress where did you train?
Susan: I was in high school in New York City, the Catholic high school sent me down to
Catholic University in the summers on scholarship to study at the University. At that
time Catholic University and Yale and Carnegie Mellon University, as it was called then,
and Northwestern University, those were the four big universities for training people for
the theatre. So that was my basic training, was stage work. And then I went to Stephens
College and majored in theatre. It was theatre, it was acting. It wasn’t somebody going
to teach you how to teach class or something. Then I did some summer stock, did a lot of
work, went down to Arizona State and worked there and at the theatres in Phoenix and
then went to Los Angeles. My training was theatre training, which put me in good
stead.
SC Michael: You direct as well. I actually saw you directing, an episode of a soap, "" A New
Day in Eden"
Susan:I was producing that show with my partner at that time, Michael Jaffe. We were
the Executive Producers. That showwas written by the late, Doug Marland, He was the
best. He and Bill Bell and Agnes Nixon, those were the three world class players, as far
as I’m concerned. Also, Claire Labine. She’s also very wonderful. I hear she is doing
"Guiding Light" now. They’re very fortunate to get her. She’s a wonderful writer. I
hope it helps them.
SC Michael: Is there something you’d like to do with Stephanie that you haven’t done?
Susan: I think she should have a mad love affair, with somebody else. Preferably
somebody younger. I think that’s something the audience could gasp and be surprised
by. It doesn’t have to last. It could end tragically. A mad, passionate love affair I think
would be fun.
SC Michael: In this medium whose work do you admire?
Susan: I admire Eric Braeden. I think he’s a very fine actor. I enjoy watching him
immensely. I enjoy Kin Shriner. I like him a whole lot. I’ve always admired Susan Lucci
and Robin Mattson I like a lot.
SC Michael: What about Erika Slezak?
Susan: When she did, many years ago, the first Emmy she won, I think it was for
Nikki/Viki. She was brilliant and deserved that Emmy.
SC Michael: Finola Hughes?
Susan: Finola’s an extremely intelligent and thoughtful actress. Very fine actress.
SC Michael: Do the younger actors on the set come to you for advice?
Susan: Sometimes they come and they ask me to fight for them. Then I’ll go into the
booth and say, no we can’t do it that way. If I’m in the scenes it’s not a problem, but if
I’m not in the scenes I have to be very careful as to how I do it because I don’t want to
hurt people’s feelings. Usually it’s the kids who come to me and ask me to help them.
SC Michael: I hear that some of the kids know what they’re doing and some don’t.
Susan: That’s the nature of the business. It’s the only business that if you get hired you
don’t have to have training. That and reading the news.
SC Michael: What relaxes you?
Susan: Well, I love to travel and see different things. Ian Buchanan and I went around
the world 2 years ago. We went to Egypt and Russia and China and all over the place.
And the show is so huge overseas. But to meet a lot of people that under normal
circumstances we would never have met. They arranged a special dinner with the
President of Chinese Television; he’s like the President of CBS, NBC, Fox HBO, etc.
He’s in charge of everything in all of China. And that was very interesting and a special
chance to meet someone in other circumstances you would not meet.
SC Michael: Do you want to continue directing?
Susan: Oh, I enjoy directing very much. It would be fun to do film, but in order to do
film; the first thing they say is "You only direct tape". What does that matter? A story
is a story, whether you record it on film or whether you record it on electronic tape. You
have to get the story across with pictures and get the performances from the actors. So
what difference does it make?
SC Michael: I took your personalized doggy bowl from SoapCity’s "Auction for Animals" to
the KABC morning show here in LA. Your bowl helped raise funds for the Humane Society.
Do you have pets?
Susan: I do. I have two dogs, two big yellow labs. And two cats and fish and all that kind
of stuff. My little poodle I used to take to the studio every day. She just got killed two
months ago. I was so stunned when it happened. It happened at the house. He got run
over by a fella who works on the property. He was beside himself. Crying, and you
know. We stood there commiserating with one another. I had a poodle for 17 years and
the last few months he was alive I knew he was going. And in a way you’re prepared.
But when a dog gets killed in 10 seconds it’s a real shock.
SC Michael: Katherine Kelly Lang – what comes to mind?
Susan: Oh that she deserved to be nominated with me this year. I said that in my
acceptance speech. She’s been my co-star and my scene partner for 13 years. She’s never
ever once ever failed me in any way, shape or form. She’s always right there with me. I
love working with her.
SC Michael: And John McCook?
Susan: John, my sweetheart. I can definitely say he is the sweetest, most wonderful guy
in the world. He really is.
SC Michael: And Windsor Harmon – I know he’s is the third Thorne?
Susan: Yes he is the third Thorne, and the best of the Thornes. He brings a wonderful
energy and manly quality to the role. And a lot of passion to the role.
SC Michael: And Ronn Moss?
Susan: Oh Ron. I call him my baby. I’m not old enough to be his mother, but I call him
my sweetheart. He’s a wonderful, wonderful professional guy.
SC Michael: Do you like going to NYC?
Susan: Yes, well I grew up in New York. I went to high school there and lived right in
Manhattan. So it’s like going back home. But when you’ve lived in California for so
long, since college, going back to New York is a real treat. To go to any major city like
that, because it vibrates. It’s a great place to visit. You have to be filthy rich to live
there. Damn filthy. It sure has cleaned up a lot.
SC Michael: Susan, thank you so much and congratulations on your much deserved victory
last month at the 27th Annual Daytime Emmys!
Facts on Susan about the Emmys:
*She found out about her nomination from her friend, Supervising producer, Rhonda Friedman.
*When someone asked her who she thought was overlooked among her co-stars for the Emmys she noted Katherien Kelly Lang (Brooke). She also credits KKL for helping her earn her own nomination.
* If she could have chosen a presenter for her Emmy she would have picked John McCook (Eric)
* She was thrilled to win the Emmy for outstanding lead actress. It was 1975 she won her first Emmy. That was for her role as Laura Horton on NBC´s Days of our lives. The Emmy gala in 1975 was on a boat...
*If she wouldn´t have won the Emmy she thinks Hillary B. Smith from One life to live would have won.
* Her guest on the Emmys were Ian Buchanan (ex- James). They are good friends.
Facts from Soap opera weekly:
In the past Susan was press shy because she wants to talk about other things than her character and letting her performance speak for itself in that regard. Moreover she knows she cannot give away stories and dislikes badmouthing performers, writers or producers, so she felt it better to stay away from the press. She agreed to speak to the weekly because the magazine´s staff has been supportive of her and she wanted to show her appreciation.
She has never expected an Emmy nomination to come cause B&B has been ignored in the awards in the past--however she was flattered about her nomination and she was also excited for Adrienne Frantz (Amber) who she thinks is an up and coming talent and she was also excited for Brad Bell who is the head writer and producer. She thinks that Brad is finally out of his father´s (Bill Bell, writer for Y&R) shadow.
She let Rhonda Friedman and the production staff to choose her clips for her Emmy submission, as she feels she is too critical to judge her own work.
Susan wanted to be an actress sinse she was a child of less than 10 years, and she chose (with her mother´s help) a two year associates program for college at Mossouri´s Stephens College so she could move out west sooner to get into the movies.
She credits Betty Corday (widow of DAYS creator Ted Corday), producer Irwin Allen (who cast her in THE TOWERING INFERNO, which she won a Golden globe for, after casting her in his Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea TV series years earlier) and Y&R/B&B co-creator Bill Bell (who also wrote for her on DAYS, which she won an emmy for) as the most important people in her career.
She has fond memories working with Robert Wagner in Toweing Inferno and Larry Hagman in Dallas (where she played PR woman Leslie Stewart.)
She discovered her passion for directing while on DAYS and was influenced by DAYS director Frank Pacelli who, among with Bill Bell convinced her to take to part of Stephanie when Bill created B&B in the 80´s.
She fondly remembers the sence of company she feels on the B&B set, which has been there since the beginning, when she, John McCook (Eric), Ronn Moss (Ridge), Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke) and Joanna Johnson (ex- Caroline/Karen/Faith) started out the show.
She thinks that Stephanie should never have taken Eric back, and she even joked to John McCook who plays Eric that the fact that she was so convincing in doing just that shows what acting´s all about.
