Soap vet Lauren Koslow briefly stepped in to play Jill on “The Young and the Restless” when Jess Walton was unable to film. Koslow didn’t leave “Days of Our Lives,” where she has played Kate for over 30 years. Now that her episodes as Jill have hit the CBS airwaves, the actress talked about taking over an iconic role and going back home to the show where her career began decades ago.
Lauren Koslow Speaks Out on Playing the Legendary Jill Abbott on ‘The Young and the Restless’
In an interview with TV Insider, Koslow got real about taking over for soap icon Walton and admitted that things happened very quickly.
“They were asking if I could step in and help out. It was crazy because I heard on a Friday and it was for the next week, but I was thrilled,” she expressed.
Since “Days of Our Lives” and “The Young and the Restless” are under the Sony umbrella, it made it easier for the powers that be to work out a schedule to share Koslow. The actress was still filming as Kate on the hit Peacock soap and continues to do so even though she filled in briefly for Walton.
Koslow shared that she had to brush up on Jill’s recent history because she didn’t know much about the character these days. She revealed she went to fan sites to really learn about Jill because fans know the characters and the show’s best.
There was one thing that concerned Koslow: balancing filming two shows in one week.
“I was so excited to do it, but I knew it was going to be a lot. And, of course, to step in for the wonderful Jess Walton and the iconic character really started to hit me. But the saving grace was that Jill and Kate have a lot in common,” Koslow spilled.
Playing Jill reunited Koslow with Billy Flynn (Cane), who she worked on “Days of Our Lives” frequently for over a decade. Being on “The Young and the Restless” also reminded her of her first days in the soap world, which are extra special for the actress for one big reason.
‘Days of Our Lives’ Star Lauren Koslow Reveals Why ‘The Young and the Restless’ Is Special to Her
In 1984, Koslow debuted on “The Young and the Restless” as Lindsey Wells. Koslow played the role for over two years before she joined “The Bold and the Beautiful” as Margo. Going back to CBS Television Studios again was like going home for the soap star.
“It was like a trip back in time. Just turning in the gate, I was flooded with memories. It was emotional for sure,” she shared. “It was my first gig fresh out of college, so it brought back all of that. So much is the same”
Koslow went on to reveal that she met her husband, Nicky Schillace, while working on the CBS soap.
“There have been changes, obviously, but the makeup room was exactly the same as it was back there in the ’80s. I mean, it was crazy. That’s where I met Nicky [Schillace, makeup artist], my husband, so it was really like going home,” the soap vet gushed.
Even though Koslow only stepped into the role of Jill for a handful of episodes, it was great while it lasted for her. Koslow loves her day job on “Days of Our Lives,” but it was nice to go back to where it all began, over four decades later.
