Fans of the The Bold and the Beautiful got a shock on the August 6 episode when soap alum Rebecca Budig made her surprise debut as Dr. Taylor Hayes.
The role, originated by Hunter Tylo in 1990, and most recently portrayed by Krista Allen from 2021-23, was new territory for Budig, who previously toiled as Guiding Light’s Michelle Bauer, All My Children’s Greenlee Smythe and General Hospital’s Hayden Barnes. “I love soaps, but I don’t have time to follow anything because of my child [Charlotte, 9] and how time-consuming that is,” she tells TV Insider. “So, I really didn’t have a lot of familiarity with the part. I knew that Bold and Beautiful was a great place to be because people had always said, ‘Everyone’s such a family there.’ ”
Fortunately, Bradley Bell, the show’s executive producer and head writer, filled in the gaps for the newcomer. “Brad made it pretty clear that Ridge [Thorsten Kaye] is the love of Taylor’s life,” Budig explains. “She’s a psychiatrist, she’s smart, she leads with her brain while Brooke [Katherine Kelly Lang] leads with her emotions. So, I love that there’s two different women in his life, and they each probably bring out something different in him. It’s fun to play someone who’s smart and has a passion for her family.”
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Being on the set wasn’t completely unfamiliar to her — she made a brief appearance as Cathy in 1994. “I did one day on The Bold and the Beautiful when I was just starting out,” Budig reveals. “Susan [Flannery, who played Stephanie Forrester from 1987-2012] directed me and scared me! She was just so intimidating, and I was too short and they had me on apple boxes. So that’s the first thing Thorsten said, ‘I forgot how short you are [Laughs].’ ”
Her connection to Kaye dates back to their time on All My Children, where he played Zach Slater from 2004-2013. “I was excited at the prospect of working with him because I never got to play a lot with Thorsten on All My Children,” Budig notes. “I just had group scenes or things like that, but I never had one-on-one time with him.”
But they did stay in touch through the years. “He always texts me on my birthday because that’s his mom’s birthday,” she shares. “I’ve spent Thanksgiving with Thorsten, so I always have felt an affection and regard for him. He’s super-talented and has that ability with just about anyone to make them feel comfortable and welcome and supportive. I felt that immediately and he was so great.”
Her other costars have also made her feel at home. “The cast is small and there’s something really sweet and really magical about the show that I felt when I met everybody and just being there on the set,” she says. “Jacqui [MacInnes Wood, who plays her daughter, Steffy Forrester] and Tanner [Novlan, John “Finn” Finnegan] are amazing, professional and wonderful. And Katherine Kelly Lang is just so sweet. We met vaguely through Susan Flannery; we’re both friends with her.”
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Flannery, an original cast member of B&B, was thrilled to hear about Budig’s new gig. “I love her so much and she was so happy for me,” Budig relays. “She has lifelong friendships from the show and she couldn’t speak more highly of everyone and she’s still very close to people on the crew.”
Budig’s own association with daytime began in New York in 1995 when she was cast as Guiding Light’s Michelle. “I thought I was really awful and I’m so grateful that they gave me that job,” she reflects. “I just loved it there. I was happy, I was young it was a great learning experience for sure and paved the way for working for 30 years. I’m still in touch with Michael O’Leary [Rick Bauer], who played my brother, and Amy Eckland, who played Abigail.”
Her next soap stop was All My Children, where she played Greenlee. “Those were the best days of my life in terms of the character and the people,” she smiles. “I mean, my life’s not over, so this is the next chapter and I’m going to be saying that about Bold and Beautiful, I hope. But we had an incredible cast, an incredible crew and good people. I have friendships for life from that show.
“Alicia [Minshew, who played Kendall Hart] and I talk quite often,” she continues. “I talk to Cameron [Mathison, General Hospital’s Drew Cain, who played AMC’s Ryan Lavery] often as well. I talk to Josh [Duhamel, who played Leo du Pres], too, occasionally. And Missy [Claire Egan, who played Annie Dutton, and is now Young and Restless’ Chelsea Lawson] and Lizzie [Hendrickson, who played Frankie and Maggie Stone and is now Y&R’s Chloe Mitchell], who I’m going to see in the hall, so I’m excited about that.”
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Her most recent soap gig was as General Hospital’s Hayden, which had a lasting impact on her. “That was a great experience as well,” she says. “I did get to play a mom briefly there and that was super-rewarding. I have a lifelong friendship with Jophielle [Love, who played her daughter Violet Finn] and her mom. Michael Easton [who played Hamilton Finn] inspired me to do a lot of things I never would have done. Had I not met him, I never would have written a little short [2020’s About A Girl] and shoot it and produce it and do it all. I got one of my closest friends out of that; he’s awesome. And I got to work with Becky [Herbst, Elizabeth Webber], who I’ve always loved. I had a great experience there. I just feel like it was so short.”
Now, she’s ready to see what’s in store for Taylor. “I still getting my footing,” she allows. “I’m my own worst critic, but I’m really excited. I just hope that the fans accept me as Taylor and that it all works out. I love it. I mean, nothing’s guaranteed in this business, so I just kind of take every day as it comes.”
