Everyone Loves Jess Walton

Kristoff St. John (Neil) “When I first met Jess Walton, it was the same time I met [the late] Jeanne Cooper [ex-Katherine], and she echoed what Jeanne said, which was, ‘Don’t change the writing, make sure you’re on time and be as real as you can.’ I always thought more about the last one than the other two. I can run late, but my biggest concern was to be as believable as I can be. I feel that I can do the best job because of Jess and Jeanne. That’s become my whole deal about acting: If I believe it, you’ll believe it. Jess is such an organic actress. She comes from her heart in every scene she plays.”

Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) “I adore Jess Walton. For someone with such amazing talent, there isn’t an ounce of ego. She’s the first one to laugh at herself. She has such a zest for life, she’s always ready with a smile. Or her laugh. I love her laugh. Very infectious. When Jessie is in the room, I automatically go into my comedienne mode, just to hear her laugh! She brings so much to the show. When I first heard she was retiring, I was devastated. But they have worked it out that we can still keep her on the screen, as she is willing to commute from her beautiful spread in Oregon, living a normal, happy life. And she has horses! I envy the peaceful life she and her husband are living after so many years in the rat race. It is my own selfishness that generates my glee that she is still part of the gang! Her sincerity, honesty and words of wisdom make her a wonderful friend. If there is an empty seat next to Jessie at a gathering, I’ll immediately grab it! Just spending time with her uplifts my day. And the rare scenes that we have together make me a very happy camper! She is so good at her craft, I will sometimes ‘step out of the scene’ mentally, just to watch her work. This is a huge no-no, but sometimes I just can’t help it. Jess Walton is a helluva wonderful person. In every way. Congrats to her 30 years and all of her accomplishments. She deserves the moon!”

Peter Bergman (Jack) “Jess Walton is one of my all-time favorite actors to ever work with. She is an artist in a way that I wouldn’t say about everyone that I work with. By that, I mean when a director says, ‘I need you to do this,’ and if it doesn’t feel right to Jess, she cannot play it. That’s how real her work is. It’s inspirational to be around and really fun to see. Jack has so much history with Jill that there’s this foundation underneath in every scene we do, and it’s the easiest work I do here.”

Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren) “Who couldn’t love Jess? She is the sweetest, most loving person ever, with the biggest and best laugh! We were so thrilled when we found out they were making Lauren and Jill sisters and since then, she calls me Little Sis and she is Sissy to me.”

Joshua Morrow (Nick) “I was about a week into my job here when I developed a massive crush on Jess. There is something that I find so freakin’ sexy about her. She’s got that husky voice and she exudes sexiness. I remember giving a few interviews where I was asked, ‘What story would you like to tell about Nick?’ And I would say, ‘How about a Mrs. Robinson thing with Jill?’ It never quite happened, but I would’ve really appreciated it. I think there’s still something strikingly sexy about her. I mean, she’s obviously an incredible actress, but Jess always has a great spirit about her and she’s just really a special person. Thirty years is a hell of an accomplishment.”

Amelia Heinle (Victoria) “I received a big compliment from Jason Thompson, that Jess Walton was me years from now. Best thing Jason ever said to me because Jess is my ideal person! If only I could be like her one day! Jess bought me a mug that said if we were Mormons, we would be sister wives. When Jess Walton is on set or in your orbit, you know it’s going to be a good day.”   Jason Thompson (Billy) “I love my Jess Walton because she is smart, passionate, full of love and laughter, empathetic, graceful and brave. And she will kick your ass!”

Gina Tognoni (Phyllis) “First of all, that laugh! You can hear it a mile away and it’s always filling the room with joy. I can’t say enough about Jess’s approach to the work; she makes it look so easy. She has an innate ability to commit 100 percent to every single scene she’s a part of. When you work opposite that energy in any capacity, it’s a gift because it brings everybody into the scene. I always look forward to my scenes with Jess; she moves through the emotion with clear commitment which, in turn, makes the words come alive. That’s always fun to watch! Thank you, dear wonderful Jess, for your talent, your light, and most especially, that beautiful laugh. God bless you and congratulations.”

Mishael Morgan (Hilary) “When I first met ‘Jill’, I was excited and terrified all in one because I watched her every day for almost 15 years. Jill Abbott was hot, cold and everything in between; Jess created a truly iconic soap character who could make me laugh and cry in the same scene. After meeting Jess, I was amazed at how down-to-earth she is. She is fun, genuine, and loving. I love Jess Walton because she is smart, funny and has one of the biggest hearts, and I am honored to work with her!”

Daniel Goddard (Cane) “I knew that I had a once-in-a-lifetime friendship with Jess from the moment I met her. When she turned up at work wearing the same perfume as my mother, I knew it was a friendship that was meant to be. Congratulations, Jess, on your 30th anniversary as Jill Abbott. You are an amazing talent and I’m honored to call you my castmate and friend!”

John Driscoll (ex-Chance) “Jess was such a warm and welcoming cast member from the time I set foot on that set and took on the role of Jill’s grandson. She had the biggest and brightest smile along with laughter. As an actress and scene partner, Jess puts her all into each and every scene. I remember many times working with her where her character’s persona, strength and receptive stance in that moment allowed me to find a deeper, more connected investment within the scene. She was and continues to be a true staple of that show.”

John Castellanos (ex-John) “Jess has the best laugh on planet Earth. Her warmth, wit and heartfelt​ humanity were all evident every day we worked together. We used to sit in her dressing room, first thing in the morning, rehearsing our scenes, and find humor in so many areas of life: world affairs, personal experiences, gentle, harmless gossip. The best actors are the best humans. They bring all their heart, soul and humanity to the stage. And that’s our Jess!”

Eileen Davidson (Ashley) “Jess is just love. She’s always warm and funny and so incredibly talented! But most of all, she’s love.”

Doug Davidson (Paul) “I have known Jess Walton since she was that sexy thing on CAPITOL [playing Kelly]. She is not only a remarkable actress, but an exceptional human being. She came into my room upon hearing of my mother’s passing and blessed me with wisdom I will never forget. She is wonderful.” Christian J. LeBlanc (Michael) “Jess Walton is one of the most beautiful and gracious people I have ever had the pleasure to work with.”  

Thom Bierdz (ex-Phillip) “Every actor working with Jess adores her because she projects such respect and love for each of us. Even way back in the 1980s, Jess was a strong, vocal supporter of gay rights. She has such a passionate core of integrity that if she wasn’t such a good actress, she could have been the first woman president.”

Kate Linder (Esther) “I totally love Jess and love working with her. My most special memory with Jess is her birthday last year. I went to her beautiful home in Oregon and it was great to see her in that setting. To be able to celebrate with her in her own surroundings was a wonderful experience. I was thrilled to be included.”