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Throwback Thursday

#TBT - Daniel Goddard

Daniel Goddard Photo Shoot
Daniel Goddard Daniel Goddard Photo Shoot JPI Studios West Hollywood 2/26/07 ©John Paschal/jpistudios.com 310-657-9661

Though he came to YOUNG AND RESTLESS as Cane in 2007 with an impressive list of credits already under his belt (he launched his career in 1994 as bad boy Eric on the long-running Australian sudser HOME AND AWAY and played the eponymous adventurer on the syndicated series BEASTMASTER from 1999-2002), Daniel Goddard had no qualms about settling down in Genoa City. “I was looking for a job that would give me stability while allowing me to perform and entertain,” he explains. “Being on a soap gives me all those things and there’s no better show than Y&R. This has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life.”

Key to his Genoa City pleasure is his character’s fan-fave romance with Christel Khalil Hensley (Lily). “There are only two people on this earth who can tell me what to do and I’ll listen, and that’s my wife and Christel,” he says fondly of his TV spouse. That the pairing sparked with fans caught the actor off-guard, and happily so. “I’ve learned in life never to expect the best and always expect the worst, so you can be pleasantly surprised,” he explains. “I never expected [to be part of such a popular couple] and I’m just grateful. Christel and I have a very easy give-and-take,” he adds. “When Cane and Lily are having their ups and downs, Christel and I intrinsically have a change in our relationship.

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The recent arrival of Tristan Rogers (ex-Robert, GENERAL HOSPITAL) as Cane’s crime-lord daddy, Colin, has further beefed up Goddard’s role. “It’s one of those stories where you think everything is humming along and then suddenly, ka-pow!” the actor chuckles. “Now I have the privilege to work with someone like Tristan. Aside from being an icon in this business, he’s a really good actor. And on top of that, he’s a really good bloke. From an Australian perspective, we are very similar in the way we see things and find humor.”

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The new family tie is just one more reason that Goddard hopes Y&R will be his home for many years to come. “This is where I want to be,” he says firmly. “I have the opportunity to do what I do every day and be with the people I love. It’s a wonderful job. And after a while,” he winks, “you don’t need any drama in your life because you get enough drama with the acting. It doesn’t take long for you to realize that life just should be a happy hayride.”

Did You Know?

  • Goddard penned six episodes of BEASTMASTER.
  • In addition to meeting his wife while a server at Denzel Washington’s restaurant, Georgia, “I waited on Steven Spielberg, Kevin Costner, Mark Wahlberg and Will Smith. They were all the nicest people and very good tippers.”
  • He modeled for Calvin Klein and Dolce & Gabbana                      

In The Thick Of It

According to Goddard, Aussie Paul Leyden (Blake) hit the nail on the head when telling Digest that Goddard’s Down Under dialect becomes thicker when they work together. “When I’m with either Paul or Tristan, my accent gets stronger because my mind will switch to that place,” he reports. “Christel has the long-standing joke that I’m not really Australian because I don’t sound Australian. I’ve told her the reason I don’t use my full Australian accent is if I used it, you couldn’t understand me. But with Paul, she says, ‘He sounds Australian and I can understand him. Your problem is that you mumble!’ ” When Goddard crosses the line of intelligibility, he chuckles, “Paul Rauch [co-executive producer] will say it over the PA. He’ll go, ‘Daniel! I can’t understand you!’ ”

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You asked, he answered! Here are Goddard’s responses to questions submitted by readers via www.soapoperadigest.com.

■ Are you anything like your character?

R.O., Redding, CA

“I like to think I’m similar to Cane at the core. I’m an honest and trustworthy person. People can say that Cane is a liar, but when you understand where he came from, he chose to be different from what he was brought up to be. He doesn’t want to hurt the people he has grown to love. I also protect the people I love.”

■ If you weren’t married, would you date an older woman?

Pam, via the Internet

“For sure. I’ve dated women 10 years younger than me, so why not go the other way? You can’t classify love so easily. I think it’s about having a connection to someone and age shouldn’t matter.”

■ If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

B.C., Atlanta, GA

“Somewhere in the Mediterranean, like the Greek Islands or south of Croatia. Somewhere that has a massive amount of history and warm water.”

■ What is your favorite contact sport?

Linda, from Alabama

“Sex.”

■ What were your best and worst subjects in school?

W.W., Portland, OR

“I love ancient history. I’ve never been big on genealogy until recently, when I realized that if someone down the line didn’t avoid the plague or something like that, I wouldn’t be here. I’m good at math, but it wasn’t my best subject.”

■ Are you a good judge of character?

C.J., DeSoto, TX

“Yes, I am, and it’s one of my biggest downfalls because I think idiocy is bliss. There’s nothing worse than realizing that someone is full of b.s.”

■ Are you a good kisser?

M.F., Green Bay, WI

“My wife told me that she wouldn’t have married me if I wasn’t good in bed, so I guess that means I’m also a good kisser.”

Just The Facts

Birthday: August 28

Hails From: Sydney, Australia

Middle Name: Richard

Marital Status: Married to interior designer Rachael since February 3, 2002.

Boys Club: Two sons, Ford Martin (born February 6, 2006) and Sebastian William (born December 19, 2008). “We’re done. Rachael is cool with boys.”

On His Imminent 40th Birthday: “Age is just a number. The only thing is the preconceived notion that you have to act a certain way by a certain age. I think it’s different now — 40 is the new 30.”

Getting Animated: “I love The Incredibles. That set a standard for me. I also love Despicable
Me.”

Boxed Out: “I don’t really watch anything. I have a 2 and a 4- year-old and they’re not going to watch DEXTER with me. And once it’s 8:30, I have dialogue to learn for the next day, so my
evening is shot.”

Commando Performance: “I stopped wearing underwear in my early 20s because I don’t like the feeling of being trapped.”

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