On her life in quarantine, she said, “I am at home, with my partner and my son. I’m cooking a lot, making banana bread, and watching lots of Netflix.”
Khalil is nominated for the Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series” for playing Lily Winters on The Young and The Restless on CBS. “It feels great. I haven’t been nominated since the ‘Younger Actress’ category. It’s really great just to have this recognition from my peers, and I am really excited. Fingers crossed and we will see what happens,” she said.
In her Emmy reel, she submitted scenes where her character pays homage to her on-screen father, Neil Winters, at his memorial (played by the late but great Kristoff St. John). “Whatever happens, this is for him,” she said. “The writers did such a great job and all the stars showed up and they really honored Kristoff’s memory. It was a charged set because everybody was on point for Kristoff, and that really showed.”
“The Kristoff tribute storyline is the most prominent one in my mind. That one hits really close to home,” she admitted.
On playing the character, Lily, she said, “I’ve been telling her story since I was her age, and it’s great. I feel like I’ve grown up with Lily the character. I feel that Lily is me and we are the same. I would love to play an alter ego eventually.”
Khalil is a firm believer that the “brain is a muscle” and that has helped her memorize dialogue-heavy scripts over the years. “Your memory is a muscle as well, so the more you practice strengthening your short-term memory, the stronger it gets,” she said. “I’ve had to memorize things quickly for so long, so it feels like second nature now. They’ve always said that soap operas are like boot camps for actors.”
She complimented her scene partners Jason Thompson (Billy Abbott) and Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott). “It has been really great to work with Jason. It’s very fun. He is amazing,” she said. “I also love Beth, she is incredible. We have so many great actors on our show. I feel very fortunate to be able to work with so many amazing people.”
Khalil feels privilege to be a part of The Young and The Restless, especially since it has been the No. 1 daytime drama for well over 31 years. “It’s amazing since I feel like I’m part of history: to be on such an iconic show that has brought joy into so many people’s’ lives. I can say that I am a part of its history, which is amazing,” she said. “This show has been my life for more than half of my life. The Young and The Restless has been a defining moment for me.”
In 2012, she took home the Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series” for her portrayal of Lily. “That felt amazing. It’s always great to be nominated, but obviously, even better to win,” she said. “It was exciting. My mom was there with me and so was my best friend. It was nice to share that win with people that have been with me from the start.”
For young and aspiring actors, she encouraged them to “work hard and to stay in class.” “Don’t give up and keep going,” she said.
Regarding her plans for the rest of 2020 and beyond, she said, “During this pandemic, who knows, because there is so much up in the air. Take it day by day. Stay present and be present and don’t expect anything.”
When asked if she sees a silver lining in the COVID-19 pandemic, she noted, “The pandemic has helped people prioritize what is important in their lives, and it has allowed them to really be able to slow down, and it has definitely helped me in a lot of different ways. I am thankful for it all.”
On the title of the current chapter of her life, she said, “To Be Present.”
If she weren’t in the field of entertainment, she shared that she would be a “veterinarian” as her alternate career choice. “When I was younger, I always wanted to be a veterinarian, so anything that had to do with animals would be my alternate career choice,” she recalled.
Khalil defined the word success as “achieving goals, having a good support system in your life, and truly loving yourself.”
For her fans and supporters, she said, “Thank you for liking my work, watching the show, and being a part of my life for so long.”
The 2020 Daytime Emmy Awards will take place on Friday, June 26, remotely and they will be televised on CBS. The Young and The Restless has been nominated for a total of 21 Daytime Emmy Awards this year.
