Q & A with Heather Tom
(Victoria Newman Howard, Young & The Restless)

One of this year's most intriguing off-camera cliffhangers was whether The Young and the Restless's Heather Tom would re-sign with the show. Producers had soap vet Carrie Genzel (ex-Skye, All My Children) ready to step in, but fortunately, for Tom's fans, the Emmy-winning actress opted to stay in Genoa City. While (too) many actors toss around the word "family" when it comes to their soap, Tom can actually lay claim to that term since her real-life brother David recently joined Y&R as rebellious teen Billy Abbott.

The always-thoughtful and opinionated Tom recently invited TV Guide Online into her dressing room to talk about re-signing, the Emmys, her brother/her castmate, and what may — or may not — be ahead for Victoria.— Michael J. Maloney

Some veterans can exit daytime with nary a mention in a magazine's "Goings" column. You, however, generate at least three news stories in the soap magazines when you're up for renegotiations: "Will she stay?"; "She's staying!"; and "This week — Why she stayed!" Are you flattered by the extra coverage?

It's always flattering when people take interest in what I'm doing whether it's the character, the storyline or whether I stay. I think [my last renegotiation] generated a lot of attention because most people knew I was in a quandary as to what I wanted to do. But I really didn't make my decision until I made my decision. I really didn't know what I was going to do until the day I decided. It went down to the 11th hour. People were curious because it really was up in the air. The show had an actress waiting in the wings. Also, other actors on the show were renegotiating at the same time I was.

I read that you were asked if it made a difference to you that the show had Carrie Genzel ready to take over.

I understood totally. I was curious as to who she was, but it didn't affect my decision. From the show's point of view, it wasn't like the last time where they could have sent the character off for a few months. Vicki was in the middle of a major storyline. They needed to stick someone in right away. They couldn't wait for me to say, `"OK, I'm not coming back,'' and then start the audition process. I totally understood. They've got to cover their a--, too. They have a show to produce, and it's got to go on.

Congratulations on the Emmy.

Thank you.

Had you heard all the pre-Emmy buzz that you were likely to win?

I hadn't heard that because I've been so busy. I bought a house and was doing other things as well. It's probably good that I didn't have time to obsess on it.

You had a great storyline with the loss of baby Eve.

It was awesome. It was the best storyline that I've ever had on the show. It's nice to be recognized for the best work I felt I ever did.

You're known for keeping tabs on the other shows. Were you aware of your competitors' work?

Yes. The only one I wasn't up on, and I actually had seen some of her work, was Sherri Saum (Vanessa on Sunset Beach). Of course, I knew the work of Ashley Jones and Camryn Grimes (Megan and Cassie, Y&R). And I'm familiar with GH, too.

B&B took out an ad in the Hollywood trades suggesting new procedures to make the voting process more fair. There's a feeling that everyone who works in daytime is too busy to watch and therefore can't make informed choices, but you seem to be up on things.

Well, yes. But honestly, I don't watch every day. I'll flip around and see what's going on. I don't sit and study the shows, but I like to be familiar with things and know who's who. I think at this point the selection is never going to be perfect. I would say that the nomination process is as good now as it could be. I don't know how [a proposed] pre-screening process would work. Would everyone who puts him or herself in for nomination have to be pre-screened? You'd have producers who would have 40 actors clamoring to get this scene or that scene on a pre-nomination reel. And how long would that reel be?

So you feel there would be some inter-show politics with a pre-screening nomination process?

Oh, yeah... Honestly, if you look at it. The nighttime [Emmy] people send out shows and people watch, but you're dealing with prime-time shows that have five characters and are on one night a week. There are 11 shows on daytime; if you can't catch them once every now and then, then don't vote. I think if anything needs to be reformed it's the Blue Ribbon panels. I've heard a lot of people don't even show up to vote. And it's difficult to always understand the context of what the scenes are about if you have people who aren't familiar with the show.

But under the current process, shows that have fewer voting members are out of luck.

Yes, a show like B&B that has fewer people on it isn't as fortunate. The current process is a numbers game. I vote for people who I think are deserving and I also want to give kudos to my show. When you go through the ballot, you say, I'm going to vote for these people because they're good and because they're on my show.

Are you happy that your brother David has joined the show as Billy Abbott?

I'm thrilled. I am so thrilled. I think it's great for him and for the show. [Smiles] I know I'm a biased sister, but I truly don't feel that they could have gotten a better person for that part. David's stepped right into the role. It's really great. He and Jess (Walton, who plays Billy's mom, Jill) work well together from what I've seen. They're not going to find anyone who works harder. He's not a newcomer [to the business] either. He's been working for a long time. I think that it's going to be good on both ends.

Were you able to fill him in on certain things about the show?

Yes. I was able to tell him who he'd be working with. We move really fast here [in terms of getting scenes completed]. I don't think we realize how fast we move. He got through his first day pretty quickly. He got through his first scene in one take and his second scene in three takes and then he was done. He was like, "Wow, that was so fast." Sometimes it takes a while to get used to that kind of pace, but he seems to be settled in.

I asked him if he thought they'd do a Billy/Victoria romance.

[Laughs] Not any time soon. I don't think so.

With your sister Nicholle having been on The Nanny and you being on a top-rated soap, David's been the most low-profile Tom sibling. That's going to change now.

Yes. Fortunately, he has his head screwed on straight. He's really a grounded kid. He's here to do the best job he can and do good work. He trains. He studies. He works really hard and gets coached. I think when or if that "soap mania" kicks in, he'll handle it fine. The work is the most important thing to him. [The attention] can get overwhelming. I think it's different for men on soaps. Hopefully, the audience will react well to him and to his character.

What else is keeping you busy these days?

I have a new house that I can't even live in because I'm tearing walls and putting down floors. It's in utter chaos and probably will be for a while. Hopefully, I'll be doing [a stage production of] The Glass Menagerie again. The people who handle the rights for it are over in London, so I'm dealing with some long-distance calls. I'm definitely going to do something. I had such a short run last time.

Will you do it again with Barbara Babcock (of Hill Street Blues and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman fame)?

[Smiles] Yes. Barbara's already said that she would do it. That's the only way I'd want to do it again.

What's up with Victoria these days? Her original goal in having the baby was to hang onto Cole. It looked like the loss of the baby was going to reunite them. Lately, though, Vicki's been sharing a lot of scenes with ex-hubby Ryan?