HOLLYWOOD —This week’s Leading Ladies Gold Standard goes to three women who portrayed strong, determined characters who stood up for what they believe in. “Y&R’s” Ashley (Eileen Davidson) was and is on a crash course with destiny, “B&B’s” Steffy (Jacqueline Wood MacInnes) used blackmail to get what she wanted and “B&B’s” Ashley Jones as Bridget continued laying down the law to unhinged Agnes with no hesitation. Fans are loving Bradley Bell and Maria Arena Bell giving women the strength we all know they have within themselves.
Jacqueline MacInnes as Steffy
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With strong women now in business and politics, gone are the days on TV of the weak little housewife who depends on her husband for strength and security. All three of the women in this category epitomize beauty with brawn. Ashley Abbott Newman is a former CEO, chemist, while Bridget Forrester Marone is a physician and a fashion designer and Steffy Forrester is her grandmother’s namesake for sure. Ashley Abbott played by gorgeous Eileen Davidson is starting to remember the events of last year during which time she was having a nervous breakdown and being gas lighted by her stepson Adam Newman. Ashley’s now aware of things, however, the one grave secret that is locked away in her mind is that she lost her baby last year when Adam accidentally pushed her down the staircase at the Newman ranch. Even more shocking than this secret is the one that the baby she’s now raising is really Sharon Abbott Newman’s child and when Ashley confronted Adam this week about secrets and lies, we could see the brilliant genius’s eyes glowing with determination. Leave it to Eileen Davidson to play this very complex role that Maria Arena Bell of “Y&R” is writing incredibly.
Ashley Jones as Bridget
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Brad Bell on the other hand has more than one diva in charge on his soap. Without a doubt Queen Stephanie is in charge. However, did we ever think her granddaughter Steffy would also be so conniving? Sure we did! It was a given that Steffy would be what she was named to be. The fans are loving seeing Steffy put the screws to Bill Spencer or Dollar Bill as fans call him. This week when she slipped out of Bill’s bed that he shares with his wife Katie, Steffy took a token on the way out the door. It was Katie’s engagement ring. Within hours Bill confronted the beauty about taking his wife’s ring and Steffy then put her plan in motion. “Return my family’s company Forrester Creations to my dad or I’m going to your wife and prove I was in her bed,” said Steffy. Bill tried desperately to not be blackmailed and tried not to show his fear to the bloodthirsty young woman. Whose going to blink first? My money is on Steffy to win, but Bradley Bell is capable of many twists and turns and we’ll have to watch to see where it all goes from here.
Eileen Davidson as Ashley
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Finally Ashley Jones as Bridget continued laying down the law to her husband Nick Marone and their surrogate Agnes. Since Bridget has found out that Nick has been keeping Agnes’s secrets from his wife and that Agnes has fallen in love with Nick, Bridget is on a mission to right the wrong she perceives as Agnes taking advantage of her family. Bridget hates secrets, they have always caused her great pain. Firstly her mother Brooke slept with and had a baby by her first husband, then her mother had a baby with Bridget’s current husband Nick and Nick slept with his wife’s Aunt Katie Logan when he believed Katie was dying. Bridget’s trust issues are not only huge, but growing by the day and she and Agnes are obviously on a path that will cause turmoil for everyone involved. I’m waiting ever so impatiently to see what Bradley had in mind and fans we know it’s going to be something we didn’t expect.
“B&B” and “Y&R” air weekdays on CBS. Both Emmy winning dramas remain the nation’s number one and number two rated daytime dramas.
Photographs Courtesy: Ashley Jones by Gilles Toucas, Bell Phillip TV Productions, Jacqueline Wood MacInnes by John Paschal, JPI Studios and Eileen Davidson by Gilles Toucas, Bell Phillip TV Productions
