In The Young and the Restless, Camryn Grimes became Cassie when she was a little girl. After her character’s tragic death, the actor moved to the set of the series… before returning a few years later!
Upon her return, the young woman this time transferred her features to Maria, Cassie’s secret twin sister! In the credits of the series for almost 25 years, the actor recalls his trip to Genoa with AlloCiné, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the iconic fiction.
AlloCiné: You started as a child in “Fire of Love”. Do you remember when you arrived on the set?
Camryn Grimes : It was my first day in Pittsburgh. It was the scene when Cassie, getting off the bus, picked up the lucky coin… I remember it was so cold (laughs) I was born in California, so I wasn’t used to this cold weather! But it was a lot of fun. Then I went to shoot at the studios in Los Angeles… it was fabulous.
Do you have a favorite story?
It is located between two plots. For Cass, his death. No matter how tragic it was, this moment remained an icon. He changed the fate of many characters in the series… I think of his performance for Mariam. It was a beautiful and moving arc, the writers did an amazing job, and I had a blast playing it.
What do you think is the craziest plot you’ve played?
I remember the day Cassie fell into the frozen lake! The teams built a whole set where there was definitely water that I fell into. He was sticking me to the ground with a mechanism… I was doing the stunt myself and it was the first time I was doing it! I almost had hypothermia… It was a suspicious day!
A few years ago, Maria tried to cheat on Nick (Joshua Morrow), who was the adoptive father of her twin Cassie… wasn’t it awkward for you to play, considering you knew her since childhood?
Yes! The answer is simple: yes! (Laughs) Joshua and I joke about it today. This scenario was definitely not my favorite to play, especially just returning to the show. I’m so glad the writers didn’t take this plot any further!
They soon realized it was a bit rude! (Laughs) It was vulgar and socially unacceptable, as my grandmother would say… We’re glad it’s done and we’re never going back! Everyone should forget that this happened! (laughs)
Maria and Tessa are representatives of the LGBTQ+ community “The Young and the Restless”. Are you proud of it? Do you think there should be more LGBTQ+ characters in Genoa City?
absolutely. Representing others, communities, is one of the most important things we can do as actors. People want to feel connected to characters they identify with and who are going through what they’re going through. To me, these things are not represented enough. (laughs)
Nevertheless, I am glad to be a small part of this representation. We always need more diversity and visibility on all topics. I will always do my best to tell these stories authentically because I love these characters.
“Fire of Love” recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. What does this mean to you?
There is no “I” without the fire of love. I spent 25 years of my life in this series. My trajectory and that of this fiction are intertwined. I am honored to be here. It will remain one of the things I am most proud of in my life. I am grateful that I could work in this series for so long. I love the young and the restless and it will always be with me.
Source: Allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
