Before They Were Soap Stars: Who Took Y&R’s Sharon Case For a Ride?

Sharon Case has been playing the coincidentally named Sharon Newman Rosales on The Young and the Restless since 1994. Believe it or not, she didn’t originate the role. She was the third actress to play her! The others each only lasted a few weeks. Obviously, she is the version that stuck.

Sharon Case — Before They Were Soap Stars

But before she was poor, noble, suffering Sharon Collins, hiding a deep dark secret about the baby she gave up for adoption while chasing rich boy Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) – and tangling with his fierce mother, Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), Sharon Case was a high-school student in Beverly Hills, CA. Zip code 90210, to be precise.

Queen Bee

During the first season of the hit teen primetime TV series, Case made several appearances as Darla Diller, one of the most popular girls at West Beverly High. (Which means she had very little use for dweebs like Andrea Zuckerman or David Silver.) Darla first appeared as an actress in another – non-Peach Pit gang – student’s screenplay. She was very blonde, very pretty, and not particularly deep.

Sharon Case: Dance the Night Away

Her final appearance was in the hallway, where Steve (Ian Ziering; ex-Cam, Guiding Light) decided Darla was the girl he wanted to take to the Spring Dance. He was so confident she’d say yes that he told Brandon (Jason Priestley) that he’d already rented a hotel room for after the dance. Yeah, that’s…arrogant. Even for Steve.

Baby, You Can Drive My Car

Darla didn’t overhear their conversation – that we know of. But, nonetheless, when Steve makes her the offer of dancing and a “hip” restaurant, Darla wants to know if he plans to drive them there in his Corvette. Steve grins – arrogantly – and says, “Yeah, for sure.”

Darla isn’t into Corvettes. That’s…specific. Steve offers another ride…even a minivan. He must be looking into the future and seeing the Sharon she is today. To watch Sharon Case as Darla, click here.

The Young and the Restless (YR) airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Genoa City, check out all the latest that’s been posted on Y&R spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.