Nick Newman is on a downward spiral from his drug addiction on The Young and the Restless. His efforts to capture Matt Clark could backfire. At first, Joshua Morrow was taken aback by Nick’s drug addiction, but he took it seriously and did his research.
Key Takeaways
- Joshua Morrow admitted that he was surprised to learn about Nick’s prescription drug addiction.
- Morrow wanted to portray his character’s storyline realistically and understood how important it was.
- The Y&R star educated himself about drug addiction.
- Morrow’s performance made him Soap Hub’s Performer of the Month for the month of March.
How Joshua Morrow Prepared for Nick’s Storyline
In an exclusive interview with Soap Opera Digest, Morrow was shocked to learn about Nick’s drug addiction. “He’s not the guy who’s hurt. He’s not the guy who needs help,” Morrow noted. He always saw his alter ego as the hero archetype who solves everyone else’s dilemmas.
Nick rarely has problems of his own. However, addiction is in the Newman blood. Nick’s mother, Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), has struggled with alcoholism. Yet, Morrow doesn’t think his character would succumb to this addiction.
“I think it’s a little too soon in the game,” Morrow said. Right now, Nick is focused on protecting his family. He just got out of the hospital and has an injured knee. His mind is focused on saving his family.
But Morrow was ready to take on this “opportunity” to explore Nick’s downfall. Morrow took it seriously by educating himself on fentanyl addiction. “I want to do my absolute best, and try to be as convincing and effective as possible,” he explained.
Morrow took note of the different stages of drug addiction. Before he films each scene, he wants to ensure he’s portraying Nick realistically. Morrow admitted it hasn’t been easy, but he enjoys showing a new side of himself. “I’ve loved taking this on. It gets pretty intense, too, so I hope [viewers] like it,” he added.
How Will Nick Hit Rock Bottom?
By this point, Nick has grown dependent on fentanyl, the same drug that Matt Clark (Roger Howarth, who praised Morrow’s acting) has peddled. Elsewhere in the interview, Morrow revealed how Nick could end up hitting rock bottom.
Unfortunately, things will take a turn before Nick gets the wake-up call he needs. Morrow suggested that Nick could end up doing “something horrible” that could be his “rock bottom” moment.
Nick doesn’t understand the ramifications of his addiction. He thinks he can manage it while assisting Adam (Mark Grossman) in hunting down Matt Clark. But the lure of drugs is too powerful, even in Sin City.
Even the Y&R preview teased that something horrible could happen to Nick, the effects of which are felt all the way back to Genoa City. Will Nick’s rock bottom encourage him to get the help he needs? Or will he continue to hide his addiction?
