Michelle Thomas (Myra) Interview - Soap Opera Digest (October 27, 1998)

[catlover79]

And now, by popular demand:

Michelle, Our Belle

For Michelle Thomas - Y&R's Callie - Acting and Singing Are Things That Go Together Well by Alan Carter

Michelle Thomas, the sassy newcomer who plays the mysterious Callie on Young & Restless, is talking about co-star Shemar Moore (Malcolm). "I used to watch Y&R," she says, taking a sip of her drink, and I have to tell you, I liked Shemar. I thought he was cute and all. But 99% of the women I knew would literally squirm when he came on - they were crazy for him! He didn't really faze me one way or the other."

HUH? Upon checking her beverage, it's not booze but a beet-garlic-ginger-celerey-and-parsley concoction, which she downs twice a day. A self-confessed health nut, Thomas doesn't consume meat, eggs, fish or soda. Healthy body? No doubt. Healthy mind? Not so sure. After all, NOT finding Moore the walking enbodiment of hunk? She laughs before confessing: "Well, that's how I felt before I met him. Since I started working on the show, I'm sooo impressed with him. Shemar is genuine and sweet and so nice. And he is FINE!"

And as it turns out, it's more than fine with Thomas to be on the Genoa City canvas. And no wonder. "My mom has been watching Y&R since day one. And my grandfather has been watching for a good 10 years," Thomas chuckles. "My dad just admitted to me that he's been watching it for a long time, too." Y&R is a family passion, in fact. "It was always my favorite soap," explains Thomas. "When my agents said, 'You want to do a soap?' I was like, 'Yes'. I always wanted to be on a soap. But I really had my heart set on Y&R."

Thomas, along with Mom and Dad, decided to have a little fun with Grandpa and not tell him that she'd joined the show - they'd let him learn that fact along with the rest of America. "It was funny," Thomas relates, stabbing into a chunk of tofu. "The day I first appeared, my mother was like, 'Daddy, what happened on the show today?' And he said, 'Oh, well, Malcolm's been seeing this mysterious girl in the background. And do you know who I think it is? It's that Keesha. You know, the one who died of AIDS. She's back!'"

Sorry, sir, wrong number. When they finally let Grandpa in on the secret, he let loose with a string of expletives. "He was mad!" laughs Thomas. "But I just wanted to surprise him."

Oh, well. Meanwhile, the actress has surprised audiences in another major way. Unlike many soap actors who sing, Thomas really CAN belt out a tune, big time. In fact, her co-stars and viewers have been marveling about the gigantic sounds that come from such a petite (5'0") person. "The first thing fans ask is, 'Is that you singing? REALLY?' That's such a nice compliment." By the way, the second question fans ask is if Thomas is really dating Shemar. The answer's no, she says, adding, "but I've heard the rumors, too." The third query: What is Callie doing in Genoa City? "It's still unclear what her agenda is," she admits.

That said, Thomas is clearly enjoying making a splash in Genoa City, along with the opportunity to work in daytime. Before taking on the role of Callie, she played Urkel's girlfriend on Family Matters and guest-starred on shows like Thea, Roseanne and Malcolm & Eddie, where she appeared opposite then-boyfriend and former Cosby kid Malcolm-Jamal Warner. "Malcolm's still the love of my life," she says, adding that they were together for almost 6 years. "He's a sweetie pie. And such a good guy. But we were so young. We both needed to grow."

The same was true, according to Thomas, where her career was concerned. You see, thanks to all the sitcom experience on her resume, producers began to see only her ability to do goofy comedy. "I love that I now get to show that I'm not JUST a funny girl," Thomas says. "I can be dramatic, too. And you don't know how wonderful it is to work on a show that provides such a great (work) environment. (Executive Producer) Ed Scott is just the best producer I've ever worked with. He takes the pressure off. The show has helped me attain a confidence level in myself."

And that happened even before she knew she had the gig. Explains Thomas, "I auditioned, and I said, 'I want this job, I want this job. The job is mine.' I never do that. This show, playing Callie...they've both been great for my confidence. Working on a show like Y&R forces you to become very good, very fast. You're working with the best people. And all those lines. It was very scary. I was going to kill the first week." She laughs, "Excuse me, but on a sitcom, I got used to having one script for a whole week and having ALL week to learn four lines. And sometimes, I would struggle with those, okay? And tomorrow, I have a whole page of just me talking. I saw that and FREAKED!"

She definitely will have her hunky co-stars to lean on. Moore, for his part, is clearly smitten with Thomas. The same goes for Rodney Van Johnson, who plays bad dude Trey. Another fan: Kristoff St. John (Neil). He met Thomas years ago, when she was in a teenage beauty pageant. "I was 15 and awkward," she recalls with a laugh. "I know he doesn't even remember this, but he was so nice and so kind to me. He was just being friendly. But then this really beautiful girl came over - she was a vixen, developed and womanly, but I wasn't at the time - and the next thing I knew, he was gone!" No hard feelings, though. Thomas loves going to work. "Since I don't have a boyfriend in real life," she smiles, "it's nice to come to work and pretend. Rodney, Kristoff, Shemar - all cutie pies."

At the time of this writing, the single Thomas has her sights set on something sweet, and it's not the dessert tray: It's an actor friend - another vegetarian from the BEET generation - who doesn't work at Y&R. But in typical soap fashion, there's a problem. "I've known him for three years and I have a crush on him," she sighs. "I adore him. I mean, REALLY adore him. He's a great friend. He doesn't play games like a lot of guys. He says he is going to call; he calls. He talks to me. And he will just sit with me and rub my face. And he is so gentle...I just don't know if he shares my feelings." Realizing that her mystery man will probably read this article, the actress laughs, "Well, this is either going to be the start of a beautiful relationship, or he'll never speak to me again."

But, hey, if he doesn't come around, she can just tell him, to, um, BEET it.
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But wait - there's more! Sidebars:

Just the Facts

Birthday: September 23
Wishing Well: "Family Matters was my favorite sitcom. And I got on that. Y&R is my favorite soap - I'm on that. I should probably mention that Spielberg is my favorite director (laughs)."
Ads You Like It: "Doing commercials put food on my table for many years."
Music Is My Life: "I've been into music since I was born. My mother is a singer; my dad's a musician (with Kool & the Gang)."
She's Wheel Upset: "I get road rage. It's something I'm working on (laughs). I have some issues, and that's one of them."
And She Drives A HUGE Truck: "It's a Ford Expedition. My male friends say it's ANOTHER issue."
Skin So Soft: "I had a soda when I was like 15 or 16. And the next day, I looked like an alligator."

No Nudes Is Good Nudes

She's been asked by several magazines. But the answer is always no. The question, of course, is: Would she pose nude? "Posing nude used to be something that would hurt your career," Thomas smiles, "but now, it's actually helped a few women. I don't have anything personally against it. If you have a beautiful body, and you want to share it with the world, then God bless. I've always believed that if you've got it, flaunt it. But not for me (laughs). I'm actually very shy. If I ever did pose, and this is a big if, it would be out of want and NOT desperation. One magazine offered me (so much) money that I could have bought a house. And they kept asking, and the money kept going higher. And I still said, 'No'!"

[Lorimar Television]

Thanks for sharing that. Its sort of sad, did she know she had cancer then?

[Jessica]

Yeah, thanks for sharing!

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by rebafan1

Thanks for sharing that. Its sort of sad, did she know she had cancer then?

I'd read somewhere that she was diagnosed in 1997 but refused treatment at first because she was afraid she would be unable to conceive children because of it. So sad, isn't it? She was a beautiful lady inside and out.

[Jessica]

I've read that too. I shared this interview with the official Michelle Thomas myspace tribute page. Hope that was OK.

[PrettyinPink55]

My gosh!!
She sounded like such a sweet, down-to-earth young lady!!!! Reading her interview, she sounded like someone you'd instantly want to be friends with!!! Very funny, and obviously talented!!! It's so sad and hard not to wonder what could've been.


Thanks for posting this catlover!!

[Jessica]

Yeah, maybe she woyld be in big screen movies, who knows.

[catlover79]

I don't mind you sharing the interview at all. I'n glad everyone enjoyed it. I would've scanned it, but I don't have a scanner. She'd be almost 40 now had she lived - hard to believe.

[Jessica]

Yep. She will always be seen with her young face. And thanks.

[catlover79]

My pleasure!!!

[Jessica]

Was it any pictures of her in the magazine?

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by DCJessica90

Was it any pictures of her in the magazine?

Yes, they had a picture of her alone standing in a garden, one of her and co-star Shemar Moore, and one of her as Myra and Jaleel White as Urkel.

[Jessica]

Wow, cool.

[Furienna]

Nice interview!

[Jessica]

Sure it is If you can't scan it, is it possible in anyway to post it on here?