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Interview

ICYMI: Tanner Novlan On B&B Role

Tanner Novlan has been waiting for months to make his B&B debut as Dr. John “Finn” Finnegan. “It’s been a long time coming,” he reports. “We started this process in March, which is crazy to think, and the screen test with Jacqui [MacInnes Wood, Steffy] was all the way back in March, so it has been a pret- ty unique process. But I’m so happy to finally be working and doing it.”

Novlan admits it wasn’t easy to keep his new gig under wraps during the pandemic. “I wasn’t able to speak about it or tell anyone about it because we didn’t know how long the shutdown was going to be,” he explains. “And that’s a big thing for me because my family, my mom especially, has been a life- long B&B fan. I mean, she loves the show. Our family dog’s name was Thorne — with an e — so I remember ever since I was young hearing the theme song, hearing the storylines, so it was so exciting, and a real honor to be welcomed into that family. Now that it’s out of the can, I just can’t wait to hit the ground running.”

Novlan has an even closer connection to the soap — his wife, Kayla Ewell, played Caitlin Ramirez from 2004-05. “It’s so perfect to have someone who has already been a part of the family to walk me through this,” he smiles.

“It’s really special. She’s been such a great support for all these years, and [it] really feels full circle that I get to work on the show and become official B&B family, as she was already hon- ored many years ago. It really is such a family atmosphere; it’s amazing.”

Novlan, who made his B&B debut on July 23, isn’t a complete stranger to the small screen: His Liberty Mutual commercial has gotten national attention. “It’s been wild,” he marvels. “That commercial has been so well-received. I audi- tioned for it along with thousands of people, and I got it. And I was like, ‘Oh, cool. This will be interesting.’ When we were on set, writers would just keep pitching ideas, and the character just came to life and everybody loved that commercial. It’s been really fun to see how much people have loved it.”

Of his new alter ego, Novlan shares, “Dr. Finn is an outsider, and I think that’s great for Steffy. I think ‘Team Steffy’ is going to be excited for her to have a new man with a new set of values, and a new version of what passion and love can bring. I think she’s ready for a new man. Dr. Finn is clinical and profes- sional at the start, but how can you not fall for someone like Steffy?”

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