Veteran soap opera actress Eva LaRue is joining The Young and the Restless as Rey and Lola’s mother, Celeste. Longtime soap viewers know that LaRue previously portrayed Dr. Maria Santos Grey on ABC’s All My Children , so she has a big fanbase in daytime television.
According to The Inquisitr’s daily Y&R recap, after an initial lukewarm reaction, Lola (Sasha Calle) ends up telling Kyle (Michael Mealor) “yes,” and the wedding planning will begin. The word is, Celeste will show up in Genoa City to help Lola plan her wedding to Kyle. Celeste is interested in meeting her daughter’s future in-laws, the Abbotts, and she is especially interested in Jack (Peter Bergman).
LaRue discussed her journey to Y&R with Soap Opera Digest recently, and unfortunately, a tragedy marred the good news of her new role on the number one rated CBS Daytime drama.
“[ Y&R ] put the fishing line out and said that it was a seven-show arc and they were looking for someone to play the character of Lola’s mom, and I said, ‘Yeah, that could be really fun! Pop over there and do a story arc.’ And then I woke up the next morning to my dad dying.”
While LaRue was on her way to where her dad had lived, she got the news that Y&R hired her, and her first instinct was to call her dad to let him know the good news. While losing her father was extremely painful and challenging, the actress said that having the show helped her have something hopeful and fun to look forward to doing.
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LaRue revealed a spoiler that Celeste flirts with Jack when they meet because she’s impressed by his fame. Many fans hope that Jack may find a new chance at love with Celeste. While the actress was initially contacted about a seven-episode story arc, if things go well, she certainly may stay on for more storylines.
For the most part, viewers are thrilled to see such a talented and beloved actress come to Genoa City. The only thing they’ve wondered is how Celeste can be Rey’s mother since they look more like brother and sister than mother and son. However, those comments didn’t bother LaRue at all, and she noted that her own grandmother had her dad at age 14, so it is possible depending on the circumstances. So far, there’s no word on how Y&R will handle that aspect of Rey and Celeste’s relationship.
It sounds like LaRue fit right in with the cast, and her upcoming episodes seem like they will be interesting for fans.
