MARRIAGE TO NICK, 1996-2007
Sharon’s relationship with Nick has been an ongoing story for over 25 years, but for 11 of those years, they were married and relatively happy, which isn’t common on soaps. “I love that they really hung tough and they had a pretty good marriage for that long. I remember people commenting back then that Nick and Sharon were the happiest couple on soaps.” A happy marriage usually means no story, but Nick and Sharon were never off the front burner. Why do you think that was? “Their relationship never lacked drama, there was something always going on, like romance, an obstacle in the family, having a child and adopting Cassie, and buying the coffee-house. There were exciting things they enjoyed as a couple. They also were a team when it came to taking on any problems.” You always said that Nick and Sharon were the younger version of Victor and Nikki. “Shick” are good friends now, but do you think they could end up back together? “You never know with them. They have found a friendship that just works for them. Even though they’re not linked together by romance, they’re still together.”
CASSIE’S DEATH/NICK’S AFFAIR WITH PHYLLIS, 2005-09
What was your reaction when you found out Sharon and Nick’s daughter, Cassie, would die? “I went into shock and I felt really destabilized by that. Nick and Sharon had this solid marriage that seemed unshakable. Jack [Smith, former head writer] told me that he was thinking of something that would break up Nick and Sharon for good and he came up with something that was quite serious. He said that not only would Cassie die, but in the aftermath Nick would have an affair with Phyllis. So he piled that on top of it.” And once you processed it, how did you feel? “I remember having this fear that the writers had gone too far and that was a normal reaction to have. But then it turned out to be the perfect thing because it created other stories for years, then circled back with bringing in Mariah.” How did you like Sharon taking on Phyllis as a rival to battle over Nick? “What I loved about it was that it was so much more than just a rivalry. Nick had an affair with Grace but Sharon forgave that and they moved on. But Phyllis was something that they couldn’t move beyond because of Cassie’s death. And then Phyllis became pregnant and it was just one nightmare on top of two other nightmares.” Would you say Nick and Sharon’s relationship was forever altered? “Yes and no. Although they were heartbroken and divorced, the loss of their child was another bond that would keep them connected. That proved that they will always need each other in their lives because that other person is the only one who could understand that pain. This couple not only shared children and a longtime marriage but also this tragedy that would forever keep them in each other’s lives. In a strange way, I think when Cassie died, it showed Nick and Sharon were in this for the long haul together, but not in a traditional marriage.”
BIPOLAR DISORDER/ ROMANCE WITH ADAM, 2009-12
Before Sharon met Adam, Sharon was shoplifting and having blackouts. Were you told at that time it would all lead to her being diagnosed as bipolar? “I don’t think they knew that then. If started out as PTSD because of everything Sharon had been through, which made sense because her whole life had been uprooted and blown into a million pieces that would take anyone years to put back together. So she was having a break that was beginning to show. But if they knew this would ultimately be bipolar, they didn’t say anything to me about it, so I thought her condition was just for now.” What was your reaction to finding out that Sharon would have such a serious disorder? “To be honest, I was very happy about it and relieved because her odd behavior had gone on for so long without being explained, so it’s hard as a performer to keep playing that without a reason or explanation behind any of it. After a while, you start looking like a dum-dum instead of someone who needs help. So all that behavior needed some gravity and when I was told she would be bipolar, I was happy.” Sharon and Adam fell in love and continued with a relationship despite his many misdeeds. How did you rationalize that? “Adam was being a lunatic as he tends to be and she’s bipolar, so I think there’s some truth to people feeling a little more comfortable and less self-conscious about their own condition when they are paired up with a partner, or even a friend, who is also struggling with something. You don’t feel the pressure to hide your condition or try to be perfect. You feel at ease and that you can share more with that person, and that’s what happened with Sharon and Adam. She didn’t feel ashamed of being bipolar when she was with him and that’s why they connected so deeply. Adam had his own emotional issues and acting out, so she was the only per- son he could relate to. They had a commonality of pain and emotional problems that worked for them.”
OFF THE RAILS, 2012-13
After breaking up with Adam, Sharon went a little nuts. She married Victor, burned their prenup after he went missing, then married Tucker on the day of Victor’s funeral, even though she knew he was alive. It all seemed quite campy, don’t you think? “We were doing a lot of comedy then and I was so glad to be part of that. It was our 10,000th episode when Sharon put on this fake funeral for Victor, then she was marrying Tucker and taking over Newman Enterprises. It was played for levity and not to be really serious. It was so much fun to play campy and I’ll never forget the wonderful compliment I got from Joshua Morrow on that day we shot it. He said it was the funniest episode that Y&R had ever done. I was so flattered.” While off her meds, Sharon torched the Newman ranch. Did you think Sharon had gone too far? “No, in fact, I was really excited to do it because it was such an iconic set that it made the story really matter. If there’s no major loss or big repercussions, then the story feels a little flat. So it was important to be something like the Newman ranch, otherwise the story wouldn’t have been as good. At the time, I thought for sure the ranch would be rebuilt by next month. I didn’t know it would be gone forever, nobody gave me that information, so I happily burned it down.”
BACK ON TRACK, 2015-PRESENT
Sharon getting her life back together was a work in progress, starting with Dylan, who had a positive effect on her, right? “I agree. That was an interesting story because nobody had heard of Dylan. Then Sharon and Dylan had a relationship but the story was really about ‘their’ baby. The baby, funny enough, who Sharon was keeping and raising, was Adam’s baby.” The baby went to Nick, Sharon and Dylan split, she got her degree in psychology and now she’s running the coffeehouse. How do you like that she has her own business? “I have so much fun with that. I never imagined I would like it so much when Sharon basically inherited Crimson Lights from Dylan because it allowed her for the first time to really get out there and talk to other characters in town. She had mostly been in her house for so long. I mean, she got out some when she was a model for this or a spokesperson for that, but she was trying all these different grooves that never worked out. But running the coffeehouse has been more stable and steady for her. It really suits her. I don’t know if it always will or if Sharon will once again grow into something else, but I think the coffeehouse really fits her personality for now.” Sharon is presently battling cancer, but she has a solid boyfriend in Rey and strong family support. “It’s funny, that if it wasn’t for the cancer, Sharon’s life would be at its most stable. Despite what she’s going through, she’s surrounded by love, which has been great medicine for her.” And now Adam is back in her life. “This is bringing back how important Adam was in her life. We got away from that for a while, when Justin Hartley was playing Adam. Sharon never had scenes with Adam, so I’m glad that he still has a presence in Sharon’s life and I love working with Mark [Grossman, Adam].” Finally, do you think Sharon could become a lady of society like Nikki, who also came from the wrong side of the tracks? “I don’t think Sharon would be comfortable doing highbrow stuff like the fundraising galas that Nikki organizes so beautifully. Sharon would be more grassroots and get in the middle of things to help. She’s more hands-on.”