Tonya Lee Williams spent over 15 years playing Dr. Olivia Barber Winters on The Young and the Restless, with sporadic appearances for several years after leaving full-time. But would she ever consider reprising the role and making a return to Genoa City? Unfortunately, that’s an absolute no.
The Daytime Emmy-nominated actress recently spoke with SheKnowsSoaps, where she revealed she was asked back for the soap’s 50th anniversary special.
“It would have been lovely to do, but I could not imagine doing the role,” Williams said. “It takes a lot for me as an actor. You don’t just turn up and start reading a script. I don’t know how to explain it… I trained as an actor. I go through a lot of process into who that character is. And that character was someone from 20 years ago.”
She continued, “I said to them, ‘I don’t want to do it a disservice. I really feel I left Olivia on a high note, and everyone has a great memory.’ It would stress me out to think of the weeks I would need to shut down the other things I’m doing to focus only on this.”
Cliff Lipson /© CBS /Courtesy Everett Collection
Williams joined the long-running soap in 1990 and starred until 2005, earning two Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress during her original stint. She returned in 2007 and made sporadic appearances until 2012. Her character was last seen in February 2012 at Cane and Lily’s wedding.
In addition to starring on Y&R, Williams’ Olivia also crossed over to The Bold and the Beautiful, where it was revealed she and B&B character Justin Barber were cousins.
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Even though Williams has no intention of returning to the soap, she explained that she left on “great terms” and “absolutely loves the show.”
“It has nothing to do with the show,” she added. “But I try to explain it like this: Have you ever dated someone for a long time and you don’t want to date them anymore? And you have broken up with them and like, 10, 15 years have passed and people are saying, ‘Would you go back with that guy?’ I’m like, ‘No.’ Because you’re a different person now.”
Williams currently serves as the executive and artistic director of the Reelworld Film Festival, the organization she founded in 2001. The festival is held annually in Toronto, Canada and screens film and provides professional development for Canadian racially diverse and indigenous filmmakers and media artists.
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