Joshua Morrow. Photo Credit: Sonja Flemming, CBS
Emmy-nominated actor Joshua Morrow chatted about his 30th anniversary on “The Young and The Restless” on CBS.
For over 30 years, he has been playing Nicholas “Nick” Newman on “The Young and The Restless,” a role that earned him five Daytime Emmy nominations. His first airdate was on June 21, 1994.
On his 30th anniversary on the show, Morrow remarked, “I still can’t believe it that I’ve been here that long, and that I am that old now! It is truly an awesome achievement for myself. I am pretty proud of it.”
Favorite storylines over the years
Morrow revealed that his favorite storylines over the years include the “Nick, Sharon, and Phyllis triangle from the beginning, and even still,” as well as “Cassie’s death.”
“It is an amazing triangle where I get to work with two amazing actresses: Sharon and Michelle,” he said. “I am very blessed to have my two main leading ladies to be actresses of that caliber, and they are such good friends of mine.”
“Also, the death of Cassie was obviously extremely tough to tell, very sad, and difficult to get through but it was a very powerful story for our show and for daytime TV,” he acknowledged.
“It was a pretty amazing story to be a part of, and it had some of the best acting work that I’ve ever seen on our show,” he added.
Y&R: The No. 1 daytime drama from a ratings standpoint
For over 35 years, “The Young and The Restless” has been the No. 1 daytime drama on the air, according to Nielsen Media Research (NMR) with 3.5 million viewers on average.
“I’ve never been on a show that isn’t No. 1,” he said with a sweet laugh. “I can’t even joke around about that… I am a very small part of this machine. It is a very creative family, we love each other, and we root for each other.”
Working with 2024 Emmy winners Michelle Stafford and Courtney Hope
Morrow had great words about working with Michelle Stafford and Courtney Hope, both of which won 2024 Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series” and “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series” respectively.
“These are two incredible and amazingly talented women,” he admitted.
“They are both deserving of those accolades, and they are both good friends of mine. I am a big fan of their talent. They were magnificent in those storylines. They are even better humans than they are actresses. We are very fortunate to have them on our cast,” he elaborated.
Working with Mark Grossman and Rory Gibson
Morrow also praised Mark Grossman’s portrayal of Adam Newman, his onscreen brother, and Rory Gibson, who played his onscreen son Noah Newman.
“It’s a very fun and gripping character to watch, and Mark Grossman knocks it out of the park each time,” he said.
“Rory is a great dude, and an awesomely talented kid. I have high hopes for him. I think he will have a big, big career ahead of him. I am one of his biggest fans. We still talk a lot,” he admitted.
Speaking of sons, Morrow is also stoked for his real-life son, Crew Morrow, for joining the cast of “The Bold and The Beautiful” on CBS as Will Spencer, which films across the hall from “The Young and The Restless.”
“I am super proud of Crew; he is way more talented of an actor than I was when I started,” he exclaimed. “Crew has big, big dreams. He is very hard working, committed, and a responsible young man. I am excited for the audience to see him on there.”
Dialogue-heavy
When asked how he handles being dialogue-heavy, Morrow responded, “You commit to your craft, you put the time in, you study, and I’ve been blessed with a good memory when it comes to that, so I don’t have to worry about taking in a lot of information, for the most part.”
“This show and this medium is very rhythm-based,” he observed. “The scenes are well-written, and they just flow out of you. That makes our jobs so much easier. It’s a collaborative effort from the writers and the actors, and I think our show crushes it every day.”
“When the scenes are written perfectly, they are extremely easy to memorize. We are very blessed on ‘The Young and The Restless’ to have an incredible writing team,” he added.
Actors he would like to do more scenes with
Morrow shared that he would love to have more scenes with two-time Emmy winner Bryton James.
“I would like to work with Bryton James more. Bryton is such a great dude, so I would choose him for sure. Also, I would like to work with Melissa Ordway more. She is so fun, spunky, and hysterical,” he said.
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and emerging actors, Morrow said, “My advice always is to do theatre. I think theatre teaches you a lot of the listening requirements that make you a good actor. You also know that you only get one take at it.”
“Theatre is just a great teaching ground. Scene study with other partners and find scenes from specific plays that really speak to you,” he noted.
“I love my theatre background, and at some point, I would love to get more involved with it,” he acknowledged. “I love theatre. It is so amazing and just an awesome experience!”
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Morrow said, “I am all for anything that increases our reach. I am super happy, and I welcome anything that makes our show and its access better.”
Defining moments in his life
Morrow described the birth of his four children as the most defining moment in his life. “That has been the most special and the most impactful time in my life,” he noted.
“Being a father was something that has always been super important to me,” he underscored.
“It was a tremendous goal of mine, and I have been so blessed by my four kids. They are awesome people and uniquely talented. They are good, kind, empathetic kids. My wife and I raised good ones. Looking back, raising them is what me and my wife are most proud of,” he elaborated.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said with a sweet laugh, “30??? Seriously!”
“I still can’t believe I have been on the show for 30 years,” he said. “It has been one hell of a ride, and I continuing to be challenged. I don’t know if I feel worthy of it all. It is truly the job of a lifetime, and I am very honored to be a part of it.”
Superpower of choice
If Morrow were to have any superpower, it would be “to be able to predict the future” so that he can “prevent horrible things from happening.”
Favorite motto to live by
His favorite motto to live by is to “Get movin’.” “I find a way to move each day,” he said. “If I am moving, I am living. Find a way to move, then you will be a lot happier.”
Fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters, Morrow expressed, “I have an incredible amount of gratitude for the fans. Our show is nothing without them. Our fan-base is passionate, loyal, and incredible to us. We will continue to do what we do.”
“To be a small part of this show’s rich and huge history is one of my greatest achievements. We are all incredibly grateful to the fans,” he concluded.
To learn more about “The Young and The Restless,” check out the official CBS homepage.