HOLLYWOOD—This week’s Leading Men Gold Standard goes to three handsome and talented professionals who managed to turn on a dime creatively in their roles. This week each of our choices made a dramatic change in his character and it was not just entertaining, but very inspiring as well. Brandon Beemer, who portrays Owen Knight on “The Bold and the Beautiful”; Jack Wagner, who portrays Nick Marone on “B&B”; and Joshua Morrow, who portrays Nicholas Newman on “The Young and the Restless,” each gave an extraordinary performance during this first week of 2011 and if this is any indication of what viewers have in store, it’s going to be the two soap’s best year ever.
Brandon Beemer’s Owen is a loving and romantic husband to an older but gorgeous wife Jackie. After his affair with Nick’s wife Bridget, who happened to be his wife’s daughter-in-law, Nick had a very tough time forgiving Owen and feeling as if he was actually the right man for his mother. Jackie’s defiance and determination to make her marriage work despite her husband’s indiscretion was just what Nick needed to finally accept his stepfather Owen. This week Owen decided to renew his wedding vows to Jackie. Beemer’s performance was spot-on. His choices and every move the actor made were picture perfect for Owen and for the viewers.
Jack Wagner plays hard-headed and stubborn Nick Marone on “B&B.” However, this week Nick decided to officiate at his mother’s renewal of her wedding-vows ceremony. The show’s loyal viewers were shocked by the turn of events, but they were not shocked to see that Wagner was capable of playing a role that was polar opposite of his normal character’s hatred of stepfather Owen. Jack Wagner is nothing if not the most versatile actor in television. Also, handsome and talented, he is the real deal.
Joshua Morrow is certainly one of my favorite men on the planet, and he falls under a short list of one of my favorite actors in the industry. This week his character Nicholas made a shocking and poignant decision to fight for sole custody of his daughter Faith. His ex-wife Sharon’s decision to leave their daughter Faith in order to live with the man who once kidnapped their infant was a lot for Nick to deal with. Then Sharon decided to leave Genoa City and travel to Hawaii in order to find the woman that her lover is accused of killing, which finally put an end to Nick’s love and trust for Sharon’s ability to do the right thing. In order to protect his infant daughter, he decided he was the parent best suited for custody. The decision will have long-standing consequences for the Newman family. Morrow’s solid performance left no doubt that he’s one of the most talented men in Hollywood.
“B&B” and “Y&R” air weekdays on CBS.
Photographs are Courtesy: Brandon Beemer and Jack Wagner by Gilles Toucas, Bell Phillip TV Productions and Joshua Morrow by CharlesBush.com
