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‘The Young And The Restless’ Star, Jason Thompson, Talks Soap Operas, Babies, And His Love For Hockey

By Chrissie Williams
Published on: 12:03 PST, Mar 27, 2016

It’s only been three months since Jason Thompson stepped into the role of Billy Abbott on The Young and the Restless. Jason spent a decade playing Dr. Patrick Drake on Y&R revival soap opera, General Hospital. Thompson said that even though he’s only been part of Genoa City for a few months, he is settling in quite nicely.

Jason told Global News that (in the three months) he has been on the show, he has recovered from a near-death coma, launched a computer virus, stole a business idea from the show’s patriarch Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), ended his relationship with Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle), and started an affair with his sister-in-law, Phyllis (Gina Tognnoni). That’s not so bad for someone who just arrived on the set, huh.

“I’ve really enjoyed Genoa City. It’s been a fantastic place. Playing Billy has been fun and really invigorating. It’s been a great challenge, which I was really looking forward to. I think that he gambles a little more seriously that I do. But I do enjoy sitting down at the blackjack table every once and awhile, horse races every once and awhile, a few drinks every once and awhile. I am Canadian. But no, there are some small similarities. But realistically he’s…got a little more kind of gusto than I do. So it’s fun to delve in, and get in his skin a little bit.”

Pretty soon, Billy and Jason will have another thing in common–they will both be fathers. Billy has several children, and Thompson is having his first in just a few months. Jason believes being a TV dad will come as an advantage when his child is born. He has learned to have patience working with kids for several years now. Children are often unpredictable and take a high level of patience.

“There’s so many things involved with acting with kids. As they say with kids and animals: there is the patience, there’s the anticipation of what might happen, what might not happen. I think that has a lot to do with parenting, too. I don’t know if there’s anything you can really learn until you get in there, and with acting with kids is similar to that. And I just hope to be anything I possibly can for this little one.”

https://twitter.com/jtfandom/status/713905770937470976

Jason was born and raised in St. Albert. At 18-years-old, he was discovered by an agent while working as a server. He spent his first couple years working as a runway model in Europe and moved to Los Angles to pursue acting full time. He landed the role of Dr. Patrick, and the rest of it is history.

“My family is all still there. I am very close with them. I grew up in St. Albert. And so…I always feel like that’s home.”

As for his love of hockey, Thompson revealed he will be an Oiler fan til he dies–or if one of his children signs on to play another professional hockey team, then maybe he’d consider supporting another team.

“I have always said that until my child–boy or girl–plays in the NHL I won’t be a fan of another team. But as far as my predictions for the Oilers, it’s exciting. I think we are on the right track.”

And as for the Oiler’s future for a cup, Jason thinks in the next couple years they will be the champions because every year they seem to get closer and closer to a big win. Jason reveals that he’s a Canadian, and he cannot hide it. He loves to go outside and pick up snow and eat it from his hand. In short, Jason Thompson is a fun-loving, big kid at heart.

“I talk about hockey often. I still play hockey. I wear lots of jean jackets and jeans. I play with the snow when it is part of the set. I just roll around in the snow, lick it and eat it, and all that kind of fun things. Because I miss it.”

Soap Central posted an article that credits Jason’s acting coaching to the success of Brooklyn Rae Silzer’s Emmy-nominated performance in General Hospital. She told SC that Thompson told her to follow her gut and try to react to the scripts naturally. After she had learned of her Emmy nomination, the first person she called was Thompson to tell him the good news.

“Well, I wanted to tell Jason, because I wouldn’t have gotten the nomination without him. He’s the best acting coach ever, and he gave me tips. The scenes that I submitted were with him, and he’s a really good actor. He helps me be a good actor, too. And he told me, in the scenes, to get my emotions from my gut, and it turned out to be really good. And it was a really special moment, because at that time, I knew that he was going to go, so that’s what I put in my head. And I knew that he believed in me, and I believed in myself. And I wanted to make them special scenes for the fans, for him and for me, of course. And so yeah, they turned out really good, and I ended up being a nominee. It’s been a really amazing adventure so far.”

Voice your opinion about Jason Thompson’s portrayal of The Young and the Restless Billy Abbott in the comments section below, and come back to The Inquistr later for more spoilers, news, and updates.

[Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for NATAS]

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