B&B Celebrates 30 Years Of Kimberlin Brown As Sheila Carter

The Bold and the Beautiful company took time from its daily shooting schedule to honor Daytime Emmy nominee Kimberlin Brown and her nine-toed character Sheila Carter. The villainess has been torturing the Forresters and their friends for 30 years!

Kimberlin Brown and Sheila’s Wicked Ways

As veteran fans of B&B are aware, Brown and her soap opera alter-ego, Sheila Carter, started out on The Young and the Restless. Brown was cast as the naughty nurse intent on winning Dr. Scott Grainger’s (Peter Barton) heart — and Lauren Fenmore’s (Tracey Bregman) baby — back in 1990. “I remember the first time I read for Sheila Carter,” Brown said on the B&B set for which Soap Hub was present. “Ed Scott [then a producer at Y&R, now, B&B’s Supervising Producer] said to me, ‘I want you to think Kathy Bates in ‘Misery.’ There is nothing wrong you can do. No boundaries you cannot push.’ To have that kind of freedom going into a reading…was just amazing.”

After Y&R creator/head writer/senior executive producer William J. Bell felt he’d written Sheila into a corner, he telephoned the actress on stage and informed her he could either kill Sheila off or send her to Los Angeles — B&B’s setting! Needless to say, Brown accepted Bell’s invitation to join the half-hour soap. “When I did that very first scene with John McCook’s character Eric [Forrester]…I knew I was heading for a change,” Brown says.

Bradley Bell, B&B’s executive producer and head writer, welcomed the show’s production team, cast members, crew, press, and other invited guests to the set for Brown’s on-set gala. “It’s great to see so many familiar faces who have supported us for so many years,” Bell began the ceremony by saying. “Today, we celebrate 30 years of Sheila Carter — Kimberlin Brown — on The Bold and the Beautiful.”

Turning to Brown, seated on a director’s chair in a place of honor, Bell told his actress, “Actresses with a sparkle in their eyes are hard to find. You have a sparkle, Kimberlin. It’s a little different than most. Let’s all face it. It’s terrifying. You scare me. You scare the crew. You scare your castmates, the press, and the fans around the world. But in the most wonderful way…”

Giving Thanks

Brown greatly appreciated the accolades but was quick to set the record straight on why Sheila is so successful. “Brad, you give me credit for the expansion of this character and where she’s going, but I can’t do that without [you],” Brown stated. “Brad has truly stepped into some enormous shoes, and you have filled [them] beautifully.

“I am blessed to work with a tremendous group of talented people — John, [Katherine] Kelly [Lang, Brooke Logan], and now, my son [Tanner Novlan, who plays Dr. John ‘Finn’ Finnegan]…I can’t list everybody,” Brown continued. “It’s so neat to see the new generation coming up as well and to be a part of their storylines. I can’t wait to see where Sheila is going next.”

What’s Next for Kimberlin Brown and Sheila Carter?

“It’s been an amazing trip and journey,” Brown concluded, “a phenomenal ride. It’s an E-ticket ride I don’t want to get off of,” Brown added. Bell has a plan to make sure neither Sheila nor Brown has to leave anytime soon. Check back for information on a Sheila-centric episode coming up and Bell’s thoughts on keeping daytime’s favorite villainess on the B&B canvas!

The Bold and the Beautiful airs weekdays on CBS. For an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.

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