These days, soap fans know Heather Tom as Katie Logan on The Bold and the Beautiful. But long before playing the youngest Logan sister, the actress was known as Victoria Newman on The Young and the Restless.
Key Takeaways
- Tom played Y&R’s Victoria from 1990 to 2003.
- The actress was just 15 when she was cast as Victoria.
- Tom initially thought she didn’t get her role on Y&R.
- The actress joined B&B in 2007.
Finding Their Victoria
Tom is one of the darlings of daytime TV. For over 30 years, she’s been entertaining viewers with her iconic soap opera roles. Her journey as a soap actress began when she was 15.
In 1990, Y&R was looking to recast the role of Victor (Eric Braeden) and Nikki’s (Melody Thomas Scott) daughter, Victoria. Tom already had many modeling and acting gigs and was one of the many actresses called in to audition.
Having the chance to audition for one of daytime’s biggest soap operas was nerve-racking for Tom. “I had no idea what I was getting into,” she admitted to TV Insider. But the young teen went in and gave it her all. While Tom believed she did a good job, the show’s creator William J. Bell seemed unfazed.
“I remember at the end, he said, ‘Oh, thanks for coming in,’ which is like the kiss of death. That basically means, ‘Thanks for wasting your time.'”
Tom thought that was the end until the show called to offer her the role. The actress accepted and made her debut in 1990. “Bill later said to me that he knew the moment I walked in the room that I was his Victoria, and it was sweet of him to share that.”
From Genoa City to Los Angeles
Tom wowed fans as Victoria, a role that earned her two Daytime Emmys for Younger Actress. After 13 years, the actress departed the show, and the role was later recast with All My Children star Amelia Heinle.
Tom then moved to One Life to Live, where she took over the role of Kelly Cramer. Her tenure on the ABC soap lasted three years, but she was soon picked up by another daytime serial. In 2007, Tom made her debut as Katie on B&B.
Katie soon became a leading lady with several huge storylines, most notably her romance with Bill (Don Diamont). Tom wowed B&B fans with her portrayal of the youngest Logan sister, a role that won her four Daytime Emmys. While Tom is still an on-screen presence, she’s also shifted her work behind the scenes. The actress has written and directed several episodes of B&B, proving why she’s one of soap’s best talents.
