Don Diamont has been a fixture on CBS soaps for more than 40 years. After a brief stint as Carlo Forenza on Days of our Lives, Diamont landed the role of Brad Carlton on The Young and the Restless in 1985, a part he played for nearly a quarter of a century before making the move to The Bold and the Beautiful in 2009, per IMDb. Through it all, the actor claims there are two co-stars who have meant the most and given him the most on a professional level.
Don Diamont Honors His Leading Ladies
As Brad on Y&R, Diamont was first paired with Beth Maitland‘s Traci Abbott, whom Brad married and with whom he shared a daughter, Colleen.
Diamont also worked with Heather Tom when she played a young Victoria Newman. Although Brad eventually married Victoria, the character was played by Amelia Heinle by then and Tom had moved on to other soap roles. When Y&R let Diamont go after nearly 25 years as Brad, B&B quickly scooped him up and created the role of Bill Spencer Jr. for him, something he credits Tom for making happen.
On a recent episode of the podcast Soapy, hosted by Greg Rikaart (Leo Stark, Days of our Lives) and Rebecca Budig (Taylor Hayes, B&B), Diamont reflected on his early career, losing his Y&R role, and finding a new home on B&B.
“The greatest blessing of my professional life,” Diamont said, referring to his two leading ladies. “Beth — at that point in my career — and then Heather later.”
Diamont went on to explain how the multi-Emmy-winning Tom helped him land the role of Dollar Bill all those years ago.
“She is somewhere where she couldn’t … she had to reach under the table and type, ‘I want Don Diamont,'” Diamont said. “So that, to me, is an Emmy. That, to me … that Heather Tom, that I call THE Heather Tom, wanting to work with me … that was enormously flattering.”
Diamont had more flattering things to say about the actress who once again plays Bill’s wife now that Bill and Katie wed again this year.
“It is just such a gift … she’s the best person,” he said. “The finest actress. Just fun, and funny, and so talented, and just amazing. And it has just been my great privilege and joy to work opposite her all these years.”
This story ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Don Diamont Names Co-Stars He Calls the ‘Greatest Blessings’ of His Career first appeared on Closer Weekly. Follow Closer Weekly on Yahoo so you don’t miss what’s coming next.