ICYMI: Cait Fairbanks Interview

Soap Opera Digest: You were born in Michigan but moved to California as a kid. What brought your family out west?

Cait Fairbanks: My mom likes to blame my dad. She’s like, “It’s his fault!” But you know what? I’m so glad we ended up moving to California ’cause dang, it is nice!

Digest: When did your interest in performing first emerge?

Fairbanks: I think it started with a weird competition with my brother ’cause he was in a musical. He was in Annie…. I was like, “Wait, I want to do that!” And then I always loved singing. Sometimes, I would retell the MY LITTLE PONY episodes to my family but I would, like, perform them out. So I think my mom kind of knew that I always wanted to do that. I think I just saw him onstage and I was like, “I want to do that.” And then I never got to play Annie, which was a bummer. But yeah, I think it was just see- ing someone else do it, and then I did it. My dad used to say in college, I think, I just hopped on the family train.

Digest: Your first gig was at the age of 12 singing at the American Girl theater in the American Girl store at The Grove, which is actually right behind the building where you work today as Tessa.

Fairbanks: I know. It’s so weird. I get PTSD every time I walk towards that building.

Digest: What was that experience like?

Fairbanks: You know, it was good. I was so young I think that I was just so excited to be there. Honestly, everyone was super-nice…. And I also think it gave me a really good work ethic really early on. And sometimes famous people would come to the show. Like, I remember one time Forest Whitaker came to the show and he was up for an Oscar for [The Last King of Scotland]. He was up for it that year and he brought his daughter to the American Girl theater and all of us were freaking out. He was so sweet. Everyone was so sweet.

Digest: Fairbanks, if I’m not mistaken, is a stage name? How did you choose it?

Fairbanks: My secret identity. You know what? It’s actually my grandmother’s maiden name, so not too far off. No one could say my last name so every time I would go to an audition, they would forget who I was. I was like, “Let’s make this easier for the people and just change it.”

Digest: Before Y&R came up, had you ever auditioned for a soap?

Fairbanks: I had. I had auditioned for DAYS OF OUR LIVES and GENERAL HOSPITAL. And GENERAL HOSPITAL several times. This was my second time, I believe, auditioning for YOUNG AND RESTLESS.

Digest: You might not have auditioned with Camryn [Grimes, Mariah] but you did pretty much work a lot with her from the get-go. What was your first impression of her?

Fairbanks: Oh, she was great. She was also super-helpful ’cause I was so new to the soap world, just doing theater and guest stars here and there. I had so many questions. If I didn’t ask the question I would ask it with my eyes and then she would answer it. I’d be like, “What am I sup- posed to do?” She was like, “Okay, just wait, ’cause if you have a fade-in you have to wait a few seconds.” I was like, “Oh, that’s why we have to keep starting and stopping.” She just kind of gave me a lot of insight pretty early on.

Digest: How would you describe your relationship with her now that you’ve been working together for three years, almost since to the day of your start at Y&R?

Fairbanks: Yeah, it’s so crazy. I was thinking about that earlier. I was like, “Wow. I’ve been working here for about three years.” I think at first it was pretty professional. I’m pretty shy so I really keep to myself. I mean, I even do now on set, like, I don’t really get lunch with anybody. I’m just kind of in my room. But she’s kind of forced me. She’s like, “Come with us!” At first, I was just so nervous being around new people con- stantly but she was really patient and sweet with me the whole time. Now I feel like I see her as a sister, which is funny ’cause she plays my girlfriend. But I feel like I can go to her with anything and I hope she feels the same. It’s really fun. We have a lot of fun. We usually end up singing on set and just being able to joke through any scene. Even if they’re really heavy we just kind of keep joking with each other so that it just feels more fun.

Digest: Tessa and Mariah, as you mentioned, are one of the few same-sex couples on soaps. What does it mean to you to be a part of it and to be a part of making history on Y&R in that way?

Fairbanks: You know, it’s so funny because when you go to the studio you basically feel like you’re in a box filled with fluorescent lights. You don’t really see other people and you don’t see other people’s reactions. We just see the crew. We’ll be doing a love scene and it’s not like you see anyone being like, “This is history!” You see a bunch of crew people being like, “Hey can you light her face a little bit more here?” And so you don’t really feel like you’re making any kind of history. It’s so weird. And then when you see the response online, then it feels special. To see the fan response and to see the fans feel supported and seen, that’s what really affects me and hits me. It feels really special. I feel so honored. A lot of the times I’m like, “What did I do to deserve this kind of support?” I feel so lucky to be part of this story, honestly, and honored. But it is one of those things where you don’t really think of it like you’re making history ’cause you’re just doing your job. Again, you’re in this tiny box. So to see people affected by it is a really great reminder. It feels so humbling and special. It feels very important to me.

Digest: You mentioned that you’re prone to staying in your dressing room and then Camryn kind of has to usher you out from time to time. When you do socialize with your castmates, who do you click with? Who do you spend time with?

Fairbanks: Definitely Camryn, for sure. Whoever’s there, for sure. I’m definitely close to Sasha [Calle, Lola], with Tyler Johnson [Theo], for sure, Camryn … I really work with Camryn so much. Camryn and I go to lunch a lot. And obviously, Zach Tinker [Fen], my boyfriend. We get along enough.

Digest: With Tessa on the road, Tessa and Mariah have weathered some storms lately. Mariah went off and slept with Lindsay. What did you think about the cheating twist?

Fairbanks: I mean, I loved it. Cait loved it. Tessa didn’t like it. I want to separate those two worlds for a second. But yeah, it was just nice not to be the bad guy for a second. I think it’s great. In a weird way I feel like cheating is kind of the kiss of approval for soap relationships. It’s like, “Hey. Your relationship is important enough to have a storyline.” You’re like, “Yes! Cool.” I also think it gave both of us something to play with that we haven’t before. Camryn was reading it and she was like, “I don’t know how I’m going to play this. This is just so not me.” And I was like, “Exactly. I’ve never blackmailed anybody before, so I think you got this one.” It was really nice just to be the bad guy. I was like, “Cool I get to cry and she gets to say sorry this time.”

Digest: Have you stuffed money into a stuffed animal before? I just got to know before we move on.

Fairbanks: You know, I guess you just take the stuffing out. And you know what? I didn’t know Tessa could sew. I was like, “Wow. I’m really good at sewing!”

Digest: In real life, your relationship is much happier. You mentioned Zach Tinker, who plays Fen on the show. You made your relationship kind of Instagram official on Valentine’s Day with some pretty adorable posts to one another. Why did it seem like the right time to go public officially?

Fairbanks: Well, I guess we had been dating for almost a year. I’m super-private with that kind of stuff. I always have been. Even when I was in high school I’d be like, “Don’t hold my hand.” I just don’t want people to know something about me, if that makes any sense. I think for Valentine’s Day, I think he’s more into being public about things. I was like, “You know, I’ll give him this for Valentine’s Day.” He’s much more into that and I think that’s so sweet. I had been so hesitant about it that I was like, “I think it’s time.” But we’ve posted about each other here and there. I mean, Valentine’s Day is very romantic and he had been very sweet about it and patient about me not posting about a lot of things, so I know that meant a lot to him.

Digest: You seem cute together in every post I have seen and you seem very compatible. What drew you to him originally?

Fairbanks: You know what? When he was working there he would always just kind of pop into my dressing room and I’d be like, “Who is this goof and why is he always in my dressing room?” And then when he wasn’t working on the show as much we were still hanging out and I was helping him with self-tapes and then we just kind of ended up starting to date. I mean, he was just always really good with whenever I needed advice and vice versa. We were always there for each other. I think it just kind of naturally progressed, honestly. He always made me laugh. He liked me, I guess. And I liked him. It was pretty naturally. One night we were just like, “We would make out, right?” And then we did and now we’re dating. That’s pretty much how it happened.

Digest: Did you keep it quiet at the studio?

Fairbanks: Oh, yeah. Well, ’cause at first we weren’t super-quiet about it and then I got some advice from a few people and I was like, “Yeah, you’re probably right.” So then we kind of kept it quiet. But everybody knew we were at least together. We weren’t very good about keeping it a secret. When we were together people always knew we were together ’cause we were either making out or holding hands or something.

Digest: Tessa obviously is at a crossroads at the moment, but what’s on your wish list for Tessa’s future? What would you like to do as Tessa moving forward?

Fairbanks: I’d really love if Tessa had some par- ents; that’d be cool. I’d love to see where she came from…. And I’d like to see Tessa and Mariah’s relationship continue, of course. I don’t know what that means, maybe get more serious.

Digest: What about for yourself? Where would you like to see your career go over the next few years?

Fairbanks: You know, I just love performing and working, so I would just love any opportunity to come up. I love this job so much and I want to continue being on the show. I mean, I’ve been writing since we’ve been in quarantine. I love writing. I also love songwriting. I’m honestly just one of those people who wants to do as much as I can. I love it. I also love true crime, so whenever I have a free moment I’m either listening to a true crime podcast or I’m looking it up or writing about it. I just really love information and storytelling, so whatever will give me the vehicle to do that is going to be something that I will love to do.

Digest: We thank you so much for joining us today. It was great to talk to you. Look forward to seeing what’s next for Tessa.

Fairbanks: Yeah, me too. Hopefully she doesn’t blackmail anybody else. Just don’t do anything illegal, Tessa. That would be my advice: Stop doing criminal things. Just chill for a sec.