Emmy award-winning actor Jordi Vilasuso chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about playing Rey Rosales on the No. 1 daytime drama “The Young and The Restless” on CBS.
‘The Young and The Restless’
Vilasuso is drawn to playing Rey Rosales for many reasons. “I love Rey’s moral constitution,” he admitted. “Rey, as a character, the way he is written, makes me a better person. The character enriches my humanity.”
“I am grateful to be on a show that has been No. 1 for over 32 years,” he added. “It’s a great thing to put on my resume, and it’s a great thing to tell my kids. It gives you a sense of pride, especially to work with the talented directors and the cast.”
He had great words about his onscreen acting partners Sharon Case and Mark Grossman. “It is fun working with them,” he said. “Sharon has been on the show forever and she always makes me feel comfortable. Sharon and I have real ease working together and I really enjoy that.
“This is my third year there and I am grateful for the show,” Vilasuso said. “I am excited, I just signed on for another three years, and hopefully, I will be able to work more with Mark Grossman. I just watched the show today and I saw Mark’s work and he has been killing it. Mark has been doing a great job.”
Right now, he is enjoying the current storyline since Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) is back in town. “I think she is going to create a lot of trouble and shake things up in Genoa City,” he hinted.
Working with veteran actors on the show
He opened up about working with the veteran actors on “The Young and The Restless.” “The key to longevity is doing the job, which required discipline,” he said. “I am so grateful that the veterans still care so much from Eric Braeden to Peter Bergman. I’ve had the privilege of working with Eric and it’s very inspiring that he cares as much as he does. There are no divas on this show, which I really appreciate.”
“With every show that I have been doing, it gets a little easier,” he said. “This is my fourth show so I feel like I’ve earned my stripes. I really enjoy doing this job. Hopefully, COVID is coming to a close and we will get back to some normalcy.”
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Vilasuso responded, “With 40 Comes Reflection and More Ambition.”
If Vilasuso were to write, produce, and direct his own short film, he shared that it would be “a coming of age story involving children and their addiction to electronic devices.” “It would have to be a part of a bigger story,” he explained. “I’m a parent and I have two girls, and they have access to my phone so whenever I don’t know where my phone is, it’s usually in their hands. My short would be about making sure that the technology serves you.”
YR Fantasy events
On February 19 and 20, Vilasuso will be a part of the YR Fantasy events in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. “I am looking forward to those events of course. I always have a blast,” he said. “I have great memories of Pittsburgh, and I am looking forward to it. I love these appearances and being able to meet up with the fans and hang out with them.”
To learn more about these upcoming in-person fan events, check out the Fantasy Events Inc. website.
Star Image Entertainment
He was happy to be a part of the Star Image Entertainment virtual events, where the proceeds go towards Cedars CanSupport, which helps cancer patients and their families. “The Star Image Zoom events were great,” he said. “It was great to do one with Galen Gering, who played my big brother on ‘Days of Our Lives,’ since I love that dude. I also enjoyed doing the Zoom with Greg Vaughan. Surprisingly, I actually had Greg [Vaughan] and Ari Zucker over for dinner last week.”
‘Samantha’s Friends’
In May of 2022, he is also excited about being a part of “Samantha’s Friends,” which benefits the Southeastern Guide Dogs. “Samantha and Alice do great work. The Southeastern Guide Dogs is a fantastic charity. How can you look at these dogs and not see the amount of love that they have? I am so grateful to be a part of it. Samantha and Alice have become like family to me. They are lovely people,” he said.
Thanksgiving
With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up this year, Vilasuso shared that he is thankful for health this year and that his kids and family are healthy, and to have job security. “Also, being able to do what I love,” he said. “I am very grateful for my family. I feel very fortunate and blessed, and that goes a long way with me.”
Success
Vilasuso defined the word success as being able to provide for his family and being more selfless. “I am looking to take care of more than just myself. It’s about doing that for my girls as well,” he said.
For his loyal fans, Vilasuso concluded, “Thank you for being there for me from the beginning when I was Tony Santos on ‘Guiding Light’ and for following me. 2022 is going to bring some major excitement, I can already sense it in the scripts. Stick around and I will keep bringing it every day.”
To learn more about “The Young and The Restless” or to stream the show online, check out the official CBS website.
