HOLLYWOOD—Jack Wagner is one of my favorite actors of all time. The handsome star who portrays Nick Marone on CBS’s “The Bold and the Beautiful” performed brilliantly on the soap last week with so many dimensions added to his already multi-talented style as an actor. On the other hand, Billy Miller, who portrays Billy Abbott on CBS’s “The Young and the Restless,” had me in hysterical laughter one moment and then in tears the next. Both of these amazing leading men make me envious as a mere mortal of a man, and they also keep my interest piqued as a soap fan.
Jack Wagner gives an awe-inspiring performance on a daily basis. The blond leading man is such a natural at his craft, that viewers never feel like Wagner is even trying to act in his role. It seems effortless simply because he’s a natural at acting. Last week when Nick and Brooke had their lunch at The Ivy on Robertson Boulevard, Nick caught some prying paparazzi shooting photographs of Brooke, who is his former wife and former mother-in-law. Nick shoved one of the guys out of the way and gave him $100 and told him to go do something else for the day. Then with humor and sincerity, he advised Brooke to move past her mistakes and to rebuild her relationship with daughter Hope.
Later Nick had some poignant scenes with Aggie, who is desperately in love with him. Then he had great scenes with his beautiful mother Jackie, whom he continues to warn, “Your husband is going to leave you for Bridget when the baby is born.” Nick like Queen Stephanie is one of the smartest people in L.A. However, Jack Wagner stands alone in being one of Hollywood’s most handsome and talented leading men.
Billy Miller, who portrays Billy Abbott on “Y&R” is a dark horse in town. The young and handsome star stunned many people a couple years ago as a bad guy on ABC’s “All My Children.” Beautiful Maria Bell knew that he would be the perfect actor for the recast in the role of Billy Abbott, the rich and spoiled scion from one of Genoa City’s most distinguished families. An Emmy-win later, Miller proves he’s a lot more than just a handsome face in Tinseltown. On a daily basis, we manage to get a laugh watching Billy. This week Billy was determined to get a tattoo of a heart with his lady love’s name (Victoria) in the middle of it. The tattoo artist passed out and Billy was left with a heart with the name of (Victor) as his tattoo. “I can’t believe this. I have a heart with your dad’s name on my back. Can’t you do something about this?” he’d asked Victoria.
Then we later saw the stand up guy as Billy who was happy that his brother Cane Ashby is able to remain in the U.S., even though Cane arrived as an illegal immigrant from Australia a few years ago. Miller is a complex actor who like Jack Wagner knows how to make it look so simple. Both actors have brilliant producers and writers behind the scenes we enjoy seeing them play.
Photographs are Courtesy: Jack Wagner by Gilles Toucas, Bell Phillip Television Productions and Billy Miller by John Paschal, JPI Studios© West
