Though certainly no stranger to daytime — after all, she played Dr. Courtney Walker on Another World (1988-1990) and Dr. Sheila Price on One Life to Live (1990-1994), — Valarie Pettiford is new to The Young and the Restless (and inheriting the role from actress Stephanie Williams, who succeeded Pettirford in the role of Sheila).
Valarie Pettiford On Taking Over Y&R Role
And it’s not that she wasn’t a fan of the CBS sudser, it’s just that, well, as she explained to Soap Opera Digest: “I was just [more familiar with] All My Children, One Life to Live, Another World, Guiding Light. I didn’t watch Young and Restless as much as the others, but I knew these people were heavy hitters because during my soap days, when you’d go to awards shows and see everybody, I would just be in awe of them. I knew, of course, of these brilliant actors…”
And those brilliant actors are one of the reasons Pettiford said, “Hell yeah!” when the opportunity to take on the role of Amy was presented. But don’t expect a carbon copy of Williams’ portrayal.
Says Pettiford: “I did do a little bit of research just to see [Amy] connections to different characters in the show and stuff like that. But then I left it alone and took my own trajectory on it. I usually do that with parts sometimes; I try to make sure I have the right information to give to the story, the sense of what’s really going on, but then I leave it alone and bring my own stuff to do it. And that’s what I did with her.”
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A Warm Y&R Welcome
On her first day, she was shepherded by long-time Y&R publicist Matt Kane. “He was like my caretaker. He met me in the parking garage, he took my little roller bag and he showed me the lay of the land and took me to my dressing room and gave me the [rundown] of what’s happening on the day, and then he met me again to take me to rehearse.”
Throughout that aforementioned rehearsal, Pettiford explains that, “My heart was beating out of my chest because I wanted to do good. I wanted to make Stephanie [Williams] proud and I just wanted to do good work. But everybody was so wonderful to me and so welcoming and they treated me like gold. They knew it had been a while [since I’d worked in the soap environment].”
On costar Sean Dominic: “Number one, he’s a nice human being. He’s a beautiful spirit, a beautiful man inside and out. Two, he’s a brilliant actor. I didn’t have to act. I just looked into his face and it was like, ‘Okay, here we go! Game on!’ So giving, so loving. And because he knows the rhythm, his energy calmed me and if I did mess up a line or whatever, he was like, ‘It happens all the time.’ ”
And to the viewers, a heartfelt message: “Okay, I’m scared as heck. Hopefully, you like me. Hopefully, I’ve done Stephanie proud. Hopefully, I’ve done Young and Restless proud. I’m so proud to be part of this show, to be part of this legacy. I don’t want to let people down, like, ‘Oh, my God, why did they hire her [laughs]?’ But I would say, ‘Get ready for an incredible ride. There’s some really great stuff that’s gonna come up. So just sit back and enjoy!’ ”
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