Actress Catherine Kresge chatted about being a part of “The Young and The Restless” on CBS, where she plays Detective Annie Stewart.
Are you excited for “The Young and The Restless”? What can we expect?
I was incredibly excited for the chance to be a part of such an iconic show and get to work with, and learn from actors that have been at this for decades!
On my first day of shooting, I got to work with the super talented Josh Morrow who plays Nick Newman.
While we were on set, the stage manager came over to us and for fun showed me a photo of the cast including Josh from the 1990’s. It really drove home how special and beloved the show is!
A few weeks ago, the audience met my character Detective Annie Stewart as an undercover detective.
Last week, they found out she’d been working alongside the villain Matt Clark all along! You can expect more twists and turns, and the action is going to really ramp up!
What do you like most about your character?
What I find so interesting about playing Annie is trying to understand why a supposed defender of the law would decide to risk her career to team up with such a bad guy.
I crafted a backstory that helped me to keep her grounded and justify her perhaps misguided actions. I do love how tough and brave she is!
How does it feel to be on the No. 1 daytime drama (ratings-wise) on TV?
It’s truly an honor to be a part of a show that millions of people have loved for so long! The audience is loyal and invested in these characters, so to be involved in that is such a treat.
It was extra special to be involved in a story line and get to be scene partners with the amazing Roger Howarth. I was such fan of his work on “One Life to Live,” so it was a bit surreal to get to work so closely with him!
How do you handle being dialogue-heavy?
As with any job, you want to come as prepared as possible, but the unique challenge on a soap is the limited number of takes you get – typically you only get one take!
So, you have to trust your prep, dive into your performance and commit to the moment. I think back again to my first day working with Josh, and he had pages and pages of intense dialogue, which he had just recently read!
I was astounded at how quick of a study he was with a few rehearsals before rolling, and how powerfully he was able to deliver his performance with so much to say.
It gave me a much deeper respect for these veteran soap actors who can carry so much dialogue and sell the story!
How does it feel to be an actress in the digital age?
It’s a tricky balance for me between being visible online, and shying away from showing up on people’s feeds. As an actor, I do understand the need to be out there and sharing my work, and just showing up to say hi!
I’ve been trying to share a bit more lately! And of course the future is uncertain with so many new developments in tech that I’m just grateful for the work I get to do and hope that artists and creatives keep getting the chance to tell stories by humans for humans.
What do your plans for the future include?
First thing up is the “Y&R” Holiday Party, which is going to be so much fun! It’s an ugly sweater party, but I have a feeling these folks will make them look good!
I am currently attached to an independent film set in the not too distant future involving how technology will become even more entrenched in our lives – it’s a project I’m really excited about, stay tuned!
What is your advice for young and emerging actors?
My advice would be to get really solid on your fundamentals, and then learn to trust yourself enough to get a bit messy with it.
Find your people to grow and create alongside. And stay inspired and open to creating in other ways.
I fell in love with photography over a decade ago and it’s been a joy to pursue that alongside acting.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
Success means you get to play at work with kind and wonderful people, make a difference in your community, and then come home to people you love (even if that’s just yourself).
To learn more about actress Catherine Kresge, follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
