Now that Trevor St. John has finally debuted on The Young and the Restless (Y&R), the actor has revealed all about his early experiences working on the hit CBS soap.
“I was both surprised and flattered,” St. John admitted to Soap Opera Digest about receiving the call from Y&R. “Actually, surprised is not a strong enough word. I was more shocked.”
Despite not working in daytime television since 2013 — when he played Todd Manning and Victor Lord on One Life To Live — St. John’s talents were recognized by Y&R head writer Josh Griffith during a brief collaboration.
“I actually worked with co-executive producer and head writer Josh Griffith briefly in New York, and liked him and his writing, so I knew I was going to be in good hands,” St. John stated.
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“My first day couldn’t have been better,” St. John enthused. “Everyone, and I mean that literally, was welcoming and helpful. They’ve created a culture there of generosity and positivity that’s really impressive and makes me feel fortunate to be there.”
St. John also revealed that shortly before his first day on camera, a chance encounter with a co-star made him feel even more at home. No Y&R fan will be surprised to learn that the friendly co-star was Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott).
“Peter is a gentleman in the truest sense of the word,” St. John revealed. “I actually ran into him a week or so before my first shooting day while there for a wardrobe fitting. He had been called to set, so he could have easily said, ‘I’ll catch you later,’ but he took the time to stop and properly introduce himself.”
Not only did the two-time Daytime Emmy winner welcome St. John, he also offered the newcomer some tips around working at Y&R. One can’t help but wonder if Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) has also extended a warm welcome, especially after his Twitter slip-up.
“He told me how happy he was that I was doing the role, and without being condescending or self-aggrandizing, generously offered his insights into how to navigate the gig,” St. John recalled of Bergman. “He’s humble, which he doesn’t have to be, and supportive, which he could easily not be considering his status and tenure there.”
Want more Y&R news? Check out Young And The Restless News Round-Up For The Week (September 19, 2022)
In the interview, St. John mentioned another soap star he’s not so eager to exchange pleasantries with. For two seasons, the actor had worked alongside Tanner Novlan (Finn on The Bold and the Beautiful) on Roswell, New Mexico – that is, until Novlan’s character killed him!
“I have not run into Tanner,” he grimaced, jokingly. “Of course, if and when I see him, I’m going to give him the cold shoulder for murdering me. That was very impolite of him.”
Now that St. John has had a few weeks of shooting, does he feel like he’s back in shape for the rigors of daytime television?
“I don’t think I’ll ever become acclimated,” he admitted. “It’s a completely different animal than film and prime-time. The volume of material and pace of shooting really makes it feel like a tightrope walk in a windstorm.”
In spite of the hard work, St. John shared his perspective on persevering through the pressure.
“The thing is, you can either embrace it or fight against it. I’ve decided to embrace it,” the actor stated. “The painter Edgar Degas said, ‘Only when the artist no longer knows what he is doing can he do good things.’ Well, I hope he’s right, because every time I walk onto the set, I’m totally clueless.”
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