The Young and the Restless - NEWS ROOM

Soaps.com was contacted today by Victoria Rowell (Ex-Drucilla Winters), who wanted to get a message out to her fans with regard to the recent rumor that Y&R is looking to recast the role of Dru. With the character of Lily (Christel Khalil, Dru's daughter) discovering that she is pregnant, and mentioning her mother often in the past few episodes, it was a hope of many Y&R viewers that the show was building to a return of the missing and presumed dead character. However, it's safe to say that most everyone expected that Victoria Rowell would return to the role! News that Y&R had put out a casting call for a Victoria Rowell look-a-like broke over the past weekend, and Victoria told me that she herself saw the cover of a popular soap magazine on the newsstand today, which refers to a 'mystery recast'! Here is what Victoria had to say to me today:

Soaps.com: It's great to talk to you! Do you have any news for us?

Victoria: "Well, I've been on the tail end of my book tour for my hardcover book, "The Women Who Raised Me". I've been all over the south, and while I've been touring I've been given a lot of information. People have said to me, "Madame Chauvin is back on the show", and so on. Today, I stopped by the newsstand and saw on the cover of Soap Opera Digest, "Mystery Re-cast." (referring to the character of Drucilla). I haven't had a lot to say in the last year - I've been very busy, but I felt that (in light of this news) I needed to protect myself, as a performer, and protect the audience; the fans, who have blessed me year after year, not only as an actress, but now as a writer! It's that daytime audience that put me on the New York Times Bestseller List!"

Soaps.com: Right! We've all been following what you have been doing!

Victoria: "I have to tell you that I was hearing a lot of questions as I criss-crossed America, you know, people asking, not if I'm coming back, but when I'm coming back to the show! What I want to say to them now, is, "I don't know anything about the recast. I've never been invited to return to the show. Drucilla is alive and well in a ravine, I'm sure. But no one from Y&R has sent a rescue crew or a lifeline to bring Drucilla back up the side of that cliff! God knows we want to see her claw her way back up!""

Soaps.com: We most certainly do want to see Drucilla come back!

Victoria: "So I have no idea what this 'mystery recast' is about. I don't know anything more about this than the public does, and my representative hasn't heard anything conclusive from Y&R. It's all very mysterious to all of us. I'm certainly willing and able. I've never said that I would never go back."

Soaps.com: Certainly the majority of Soaps.com readers would want to see you in the role of Drucilla!

Victoria: "I have over four million hits on my website, and I want to protect this audience that has served me so well. They want an answer. I put a message on my website today, because they are asking, "Why aren't you coming back?" "Why don't you want to come back?" When the people started asking me these questions, I didn't want them to feel betrayed. I want them to know that it's not that I'm not willing to claw my way back up that cliff - I've not been invited to do so. All I can say to the fans is, "Thank you for supporting me on and off the stage, but the ball is in Y&R's court!"

Soaps.com: So if Y&R does contact you, you are completely open to coming back to the show?

Victoria: "Absolutely!"

Soaps.com: Awesome! We hope that's what happens, then!

Victoria: "Well, we'll see what happens! It's been interesting being on the book tour and interacting with the fans who have supported me for 20 years. The character was introduced in 1990, so, they feel very strongly about Drucilla. Time will tell whether Y&R is testing the waters for bringing on a recast Drucilla, that's their call, but I didn't want to leave my fans in a lurch. I wanted to address it before going back out on the road."

Soaps.com: So you are going back out on the book tour at this point?

Victoria: "Yes, you know the book sales have been fabulous, and Harper Collins is releasing my paperback version of "The Women Who Raised Me" on May 1st. Advanced sales are being advertised on Amazon. It has a new cover, it's really fresh. The paperback book party is in New York City on May 8th. And for the fans who are in New York City, my official book signing will be at Barnes and Noble on 5th Avenue, Yay! 5th Avenue and 18th Street. It'll be at 6:00 PM, and it's gonna' be a blast! If people want to find out information about more locations, they should log on to victoriarowell.com."

Soaps.com: Aren't you in the process of writing another book?

Victoria: "Yes! "Secrets of a Soap Opera Diva"! This book has been a tremendous amount of fun! A lot of work! But I have to say that I have been having a ball creating this fictitious world of some real colorful characters!

Soaps.com: Are you still working with the Hillary Clinton campaign?

Victoria: "Yes, I'm still a part of that campaign. I'm planning on going to the convention in Denver. Also, May is Foster Care Awareness Month, so there is a lot of excitement surrounding the paperback coming out so quickly. I've been very fortunate - I've been taking theatrical meetings for my book - so that's really exciting!"

Soaps.com: Well Victoria, we'll get your message out to the fans for you, and please be sure to let us know if you do hear from Y&R about a return to the show.

Victoria: "Thanks so much, and I will let you know. Stay tuned. We're all in this mysterious boat together!"

Candace Young
Y&R News Writer
Soaps.com