The 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be held on Friday, June 7, with the ceremony airing live on CBS starting at 8 p.m. ET. Soap Opera Digest chatted with the nominees to get the scoop on how they found out, what episodes they submitted, and more as we count down to daytime’s biggest night!
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Outstanding Guest Performance
Linden Ashby (ex-Cameron, Young and Restless)
What did you submit?
“It was mostly from that sort of final day down in the sewer where I had Reylynn [Caster, Faith on Y&R] and Sharon [Case, Sharon on Y&R] and Josh [Morrow, Nick on Y&R] and that final stuff. Sally [McDonald] directed it so well, and Josh [Griffith] wrote it so well, and it was good stuff. It was an embarrassment of riches to get to kind of go through, and it was also compressed and so much good stuff. I didn’t have to look through a lot of stuff. It was really nice.”
How did you find out you were nominated?
“I was out surfing and I didn’t know. I knew that they were going to pick that day. I didn’t have any idea what time, and I was out surfing, and I came in and my phone was blowing up. Susan [Walters, his wife and Diane on Y&R] congratulated me, and Matt Kane [Show Publicist] congratulated me. And everyone was like, ‘Congratulations!’ I was like, ‘Hey, this is pretty great.’ It was nice. I mean, it’s such a cliché to say it’s an honor to be nominated, but it really is. And to get a nod from your peers for your work. It’s really nice.”
Did any of the messages that you received stand out?
“Just how many there were and how nice they were, and from such sort of random corners of friendships that somehow people, they reached out, and it had nothing to do with the industry. They were just congratulating me and it was really nice. It’s just how many and from how many different places.”
Did you do anything to celebrate?
“Well, drink constantly. I’m kidding. [LOL]. We went out to dinner. Susan and I went out and had a nice dinner. I just wish that it had been sort of a double nomination. Because she is so good. She really is. She’s a way better actor than I am.”
What does the nomination mean to you?
“It’s nice. And now it’s kind of out of my hands, I guess. It’s always been out of my hands, but you just go and enjoy the night and enjoy the process and be present and sort of go, ‘Okay, this is good. Nice place to be.’ It should all be a celebration. I mean, I’ve always thought that choosing a best actor is like choosing a best painting. It’s so subjective and weird, but it’s also really nice to be in that group.”
Will anyone in your family be attending?
“It’ll be me and Susan. And I think Savannah is going to come because she’s in town. She lives in L.A. and she’s our youngest daughter. She’ll come and so it’ll be nice. It’d be nice to be there with my family.”
Any thoughts on your fellow nominees in your category?
“When you’re in a category with Dick Van Dyke [Timothy, Days of our Lives] and a few others, like Guy Pearce [Mike, Neighbors], Alley Mills [Heather, General Hospital], and Ashley Jones [Bridget, Bold and Beautiful] it’s just really, you’re like, ‘Wow! Okay. That’s nice.’ They’re all really good actors. Just such talented actors, and I mean that with all sincerity. I do feel honored to be in the mix.”
Are you a “prepare a speech” or wing it kind of person?
“I haven’t even thought about that. I haven’t thought about a speech. I think I’ll wing it. I guess you should prepare, but I just never think you’re going to win.”
Will you bring a lucky charm?
“Just bringing Susan. She’s my lucky charm.”
How do you feel about Y&R’s other acting nominations?
“They’re amazing! I mean, Michelle [Stafford, Phyllis], I love and I love her work, and I love Eric’s [Braeden, Victor] work. He’s just an icon. I was a fan of his when I was a kid watching the Rat Patrol. And then they have been doing it for 51 years. I guess it was just the anniversary, right? Yeah.”
