Victoria Rowell isn’t holding back about her iconic run on The Young and the Restless. Sitting down with Carlos King, the daytime legend opened up about playing Drucilla Winters, the behind-the-scenes drama at CBS, and where things stand with the soap world today.
Rowell reflected on joining the cast back in 1990 and her special bond with series creator William J. Bell. However, that closeness quickly created friction on set.
“Bill Bell was very vocal about his excitement of me joining the cast. That became the first issue,” Rowell shared. “He did not hide his appreciation and his actual love for me… so that can, just on its face, cause issues on any set.”
Things grew more complicated as Rowell’s career exploded outside of Genoa City, landing major feature films and a co-starring role on Diagnosis Murder.
“It was deemed that I had preferential treatment because I started booking features,” Rowell explained. “I started booking movies with Eddie Murphy, with Jim Carrey, with Bo Bridges… and so you know, there was pushback from one of the actors and her husband, who was a producer, like ‘This isn’t fair.’ And Bill was like, ‘She’s going to do the movie. This is different.’”
Despite the backstage tension—including reported incidents of mistreatment—Rowell fought hard behind the camera to change daytime television. At the time, CBS daytime had zero Black writers on staff across decades of broadcasting. Rowell worked directly with industry organizations to break that barrier, helping hire Y&R‘s first Black writer, Susan Dansby.
“Emmys are nice, and I love my Image Awards and my nominations, but I’m as proud, if not more, of the personnel diversification that I participated in,” she noted.
When asked why she ultimately walked away after 14 years on the soap, Rowell kept it simple: self-preservation.
“Enough is enough and too much is foolish, as my Agatha Armstead would say. It’s called self-preservation and self-respect,” Rowell said. “If there’s not going to be an opportunity for growth, as I see my colleagues on other shows becoming producers or directors or opportunities to write… no, you have to move on.”
Naturally, fans always want to know if Drusilla could ever return to Genoa City to stir up trouble once more. While Rowell didn’t give a flat yes or no, she left the door wide open with a classic soap tease.
“How do you know I haven’t?” Rowell teased with a smile. “Cliffhanger!”
Watch the full interview below!
Do you want to see Victoria Rowell return as Drucilla Barber on The Young and the Restless? And what do you think of her comments about the backstage tensions and her decision to leave?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Photo Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI Studios.
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