Young and the Restless Icons Reveal Secret to 30-Year Success: Chemistry or Luck?

In 1994, three actors joined The Young and the Restless, and 30 years later, they’re still killing it. Sharon Case, Joshua Morrow, and Michelle Stafford marveled about being on a show for all that time. The trio was surprised about the stability their roles brought them. They all agreed that their connection to one another fueled their longevity.

Chemistry Is Key

In an episode of The Locher Room with host Alan Locher, Y&R vets Case (Sharon), Morrow (Nick), and Stafford (Phyllis) first discussed their various Emmy awards and nominations. Stafford stated that the win isn’t just for the person who receives the award. She said that her scene partners also had a role in that success. “Half the journey is your partner,” she stated. (Find out what Case thought Sharon’s greatest storyline was.)

Locher asked what it was like to have a job for three decades in an industry where that’s a rarity. Morrow was up first and stated that aside from his children’s birth, “This is my greatest accomplishment. The fact that I’ve been able to carve out this career in this very difficult industry for this long is just an awesome achievement, and I never take it for granted.”

Morrow felt fortunate for the ability to take care of his family with his job, remarking, “If you told me when I got that job that day that I’d be doing this 30 years later, I would have just never even come close to believing you.”

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Actors Are Like Gypsies

Case spoke next and explained that she knew those kinds of acting jobs were fleeting because she’d previously been on a couple of soaps. “Roles don’t last forever,” she stated, adding that the typical soap gigs only last for a couple of years, but “This role just ended up being different.”

Case also credited the other two for their longevity by working together. She remarked that chemistry between the actors was key, and as a result, “It just worked out for all three of us together.” 

Stafford then gave a little backstory about her life, explaining, “My mom was an executive at Universal,” and as such, she felt her family was like gypsies. “Which is so strange that I have this kind of job…because I never expected that I would be at one job or…anybody would really want me to stay at one job for a long time.”

Stafford also talked about her superstitions where she doesn’t adorn her dressing room with personal effects because “The moment I go ‘Okay, I’m in,’ [it’s] over.”