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The Young and the Restless character Nick is either taking a step forward -- or one that's backward -- now that he's met a fellow addict in Marie, played by Jade Harlow. Soap Central sat down with the soap hopper, who began her daytime career as a teen on Passions, for an exclusive interview about her new role.
Hi, My Name is Marie
While Nick appeared to be on the road to recovery, it became evident that he, in fact, had a long way to go to regain his sobriety. Now, he's met Marie, a fellow addict, but that may not be a bad thing, as sometimes it can be easier to open up to a total stranger than a loved one.
"When Marie meets Nick, she's sort of looking to escape the circles that she's normally running in, and connect with someone who understands her addiction struggles," Harlow says.
"Nick and Marie can be wholeheartedly honest with each other about where they're at, what their needs are, and how their minds are working, surrounding their addiction," she continues.
"When you're struggling with addiction, and you're surrounded by sober people, or even former addicts, you're always holding something back," Harlow offers, "because you're trying to portray that it's not as bad as it is."
Nick and Marie have made a fast connection with one another, as evidenced by the passion they've shared in today's episode. "When you meet someone else who's struggling with addiction, you can be honest in a way that you can't with anyone else," she points out.
"You know what? I'm going to be 'open kimono,'" Harlow says, speaking in character. "I'm putting all my cards on the table, and I'm just going to be myself, exactly who I am in this moment with this person, because maybe I'll never see them again."
As to whether or not Nick will help Marie or Marie will help Nick first in terms of their addictions, Harlow isn't quite sure. It's like the adage about putting one's own breathing mask first on an airplane or helping others with theirs. "I don't think either one of them is in a place to be trusted to put an oxygen mask on anyone," Harlow observes of Nick's and Marie's positions.
New Beginnings
Just as Marie is meeting someone new in Nick, Harlow says that her joining Y&R has also introduced her to a whole new group of daytime pals, despite her turns on Passions as Jessica Bennett and on Days of our Lives as Sheryl Connors, the role she played in 2014.
"The soap world can be a little small [but] I've gotten to meet a brand new batch of really great actors here," Harlow says. "Usually, you've crossed paths with people on other shows at a party or a function. This time it was, 'Hi! Nice to meet you!' Everyone here has been so lovely, warm, and welcoming."
"I had never met [Joshua] before," the actress says. She describes the veteran Y&R star as "a dream partner."
"I mean, come on," she enthuses about the fan favorite. "He is light, funny, professional, and supportive. And there's just a level of care that he has for everyone. My experience was that everyone on the team wanted to win for him when he was on stage.
"[Joshua] has this ability to bring everyone around him together with a spirit of, 'We're going to bang this out! It's going to be great!' After all these years of him being on the show with huge volumes of material and emotional weight, he manages to bring that magic that [some] can often lose when they grow out of their 20s."
Harlow says that one reason Morrow has been shining in this storyline is that he "doesn't approach the material with any kind of judgment of Nick or anyone else, who is in this situation. It really speaks to the reality of this circumstance. [Addiction] can happen to anyone."
In Her Corner
Time will tell if Marie is someone who benefits Nick or not. As to who helped Harlow land in Genoa City, she credits her longtime talent manager and pal, Michael Bruno, who also represents Rebecca Budig (Taylor, The Bold and the Beautiful) and Michael Easton (ex-Finn, General Hospital). Harlow says that Bruno encouraged her to take on this challenging role after he read the breakdown (description) for it.
"Michael's my No. 1 ally," the actress says with a smile. "I've been with him [for representation] since I was 18. Michael has stuck by through work -- and not work, you know? He's been by my side as a cheerleader and as a truth teller this entire time. I adore Michael.
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"When I read the role, I was petrified," Harlow reveals. "What it was asking for me to do was so raw, honest, guttural, and brave. I told Michael that I would do the tape, but that I would send it to you, and you tell me if I should redo it. With Marie, I felt that this story was too important to do the wrong way.
"Once I sent the tape out, I started to feel protective of Marie," the actress adds. "I started to feel like whoever gets this role had better care about her as much as I do! When the booking came through, I was not only excited because it's a great role, but also because I felt this sense of relief that this honest, strong, and messy character was in my hands. I love her."
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