This interview originally appeared in the November 13, 2001 issue of Soap Opera Digest.
He’s featured in a Madonna video, MTV has followed him around for a special report. On YOUNG AND RESTLESS, he plays manipulative bad boy J.T. but look closer and you’ll find that Thad Luckinbill’s heart is still in the heartland. Madonna wanted him for his rodeo skills; MTV’s interest was in the fact that he was a struggling actor in big, bad, L.A., which changed when he got his big break strutting his naughty stuff to Y&R. It’s all proof that the guy does his native Oklahoma proud. Calling in from his parents’ home in Enid, OK, Luckinbill embodies that mix of Midwestern wholesomeness and charm when he says, “No problem. This isn’t the first time I’ve done an interview from here. When I’m in L.A., no on seems to want to talk to me.”
Luckinbill attributes his small-town upbringing to keeping his head on straight in Hollyweird — and for J.T.’s sense of mischief. Luckinbill grew up with two older sisters and a brother, an identical twin, Trent. “We used to switch [places] in high school,” Thad grins. “No one can tell our voices apart. Not even our parents, still to this day.” But Trent’s not a mischief-maker. “He just passed the bar, and he works for the Justice Department,” his brother reveals.
Luckinbill was the only one of his siblings who shared his mother’s passion for the arts. “I grew up doing my mom’s plays in church,” he shares. “I remember thinking, ‘When I get done with school, I’m goin’ out there [to Los Angeles].’ I also remember thinking that I would never make it. But when I finished college, I packed up my Camry with two suitcases, drove out and crashed on Brian’s couch.”
The Brian in question is Brian Presley (Jack, PORT CHARLES), an old pal from Luckinbill’s University of Oklahoma days who had already undertaken the ten-starving artist’s lifestyle in L.A. “Brian was the only close friend I had out here,” Luckinbill says.
Fast-forward a few years, and the two young actors are now roomies and fan faves on show that, in most markets throughout the country, appear opposite each other. “We laugh about that,” he smiles. “He’s on his show more than I’m on mine, so I’ll watch him when I’m home, just to catch it and watch him suck some blood,” Luckinbill jokes. “He’s done so well with that character. I saw in Digest that he got the ‘Performer of the Week.” And did so deservingly. He’s a solid actor. “I’ve always respected him for that.”
If our viewer mail is any indication, Y&R fans feel the same about Genoa City’s newest hell-raiser, Hellstrom. “The character dictates the name,” Luckinbill confirms. “He’s constantly on a teeter-totter. Sometimes, he’s decent; sometimes, he’s bad. In the past, the bad side of J.T. has been even worse. He’s been an evil guy. But I like where they’re goin with him now because the character has more of an edgy rebelliousness.
These days, the rebel inside J.T. is defined by the woman on his mind. “It’s enjoyable to see the transformation a girl can cause on J.T.,” Luckinbill muses. “Mac was the girl he really wanted and could have had. But he had to write that off, at least for the time being. He likes Rianna; there’s potential there. He sees it as a challenge, something that could possibly grow into a relationship. When I first started, J.T. had feelings for Brittany. Now, he’s become her confidante.”
Because J.T. is juggling all those ladies, the show keeps the actor fairly busy, which is just fine by him. “Officially, I’ve never been approached by Y&R for a contract,” Luckinbill acknowledges. “But there’s been a lot of interest from the fans, for which I’m grateful. I love working for the show. In the future, if I were to get other jobs away from Y&R, I’d hope to be able to do both. I enjoy doing the show so much. I hope to always, somehow, be a part of that.”
The remark could sound insincere coming from a rising star in Hollywood, but Luckinbill seems to genuinely embrace the sense of community and responds with loyalty. Well, you can take the boy out of Oklahoma….
JUST THE FACTS
Birthday: April 24
Thad As He Wants To Be: “I was named after a Thaddeus, but it’s just Thad. Maybe my parents were trying to spare me some playground beatings.”
And the J.T. stands for?: “It’s been announced maybe once on the show. If you were doing the dishes, you didn’t hear it. It’s Jeffrey Todd.”
Meet The Parents: “This is going to sound like LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, but my parents are the greatest in the world. I could have told them I was moving to Alaska to pump oil, and they would have been supportive.”
The Single Guy: “I’d like to find a nice girl, but I haven’t yet. I’ll keep my eyes open, though. I’m not losing faith.”
The Buddy System: “David Lago [Raul, Y&R] and I are good buddies. I play a lot of basketball with Joshua Morrow [Nicholas, Y&R]. He’s from Oklahoma, too. And Ryan McPartlin [Hank, PASSIONS] and I used to work in the same restaurant together.
Most Frequently Asked Question: Any relation to the actor and husband of Lucie Arnaz, Laurence Luckinbill? “Distantly, I am. Third or fourth cousins, something like that. I need to figure out exactly what the relation is!”
