The 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be held on Friday, Dec. 15, with the ceremony airing live on CBS starting at 9 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!
Outstanding Supporting Actor
Chad Duell (Michael, GENERAL HOSPITAL)
ABC/Ricky Middlesworth
You won in this category in 2015. How did it feel to get the word that you were back on the list of nominees? “I was confused! I randomly saw that Maurice Benard [Sonny] was nominated for Lead Actor. I didn’t know that was the only category that had been announced, that they were releasing [the different categories at different times], so I was like, ‘Wow, really? The only nomination we got was for Maurice?’ And then I found out that they were doing the full list of nominations later on and I was like, ‘Oh, okay.’ Then I was on set, in the middle of doing a scene with Eden [McCoy, Josslyn], and Frank [Valentini], our executive producer, came up to the set and he said, ‘Eden, you got a nomination for Younger Actor.’ Then he said, ‘And for some reason, it says that Chad is also nominated!’ He said it [jokingly]. I was very surprised! I was pretty caught-off guard. And I’m just happy to be on the list again! It’s fun.”
Do you look forward to the Emmys more when you’re a nominee? “Well, it’s different when you go to the Emmys as a nominee. You have a little more stress, I guess, waiting for your category to come up as opposed to when you’re just a guest and you just kind of chill. But it’s just cool to be kind of representing the show and I’m happy to be doing that.”
What was on your reel this year? “Well, I have to say that Nneka [Garland, a GH producer who passed away in March] was so amazing and really patient in helping me trying to find the right thing for my reel. I was about to submit something that I wasn’t that happy with. Then I remembered a scene that I really wanted to include, and she really dug through [episodes] to help me find it. So I thank her for putting in the time to help me find what I really wanted, and with her help, I was able to find the right reel for me. [I chose] a scene of me with Sonny where I was upset with him at the beginning of this whole ‘us being at odds with each other’ type of thing and I was calling Sonny out. It was just real, and I guess that’s what I liked about it — it was just a real conversation and it felt in the moment, it felt authentic. It doesn’t have to be crying and screaming, just something where people really believe what you’re saying is true, you know? And that’s how I felt about those scenes. And then I did the one where Willow told me she had cancer and one where I was talking to Dante about Sonny and my issues with Sonny.”
How do you feel about competing against the three other actors from GH who are nominated in your category? “I think that’s the cool part, that we’re so represented [in Supporting Actor]. That makes me feel really good. I think we have some of the best actors on our show, and [GH’s multiple nominations] is just kind of a statement about that. I think it’s a really cool thing and it shows how well-cast the show is.”
Will you prepare a speech in case your name is called? “I don’t really think that I’ll have a speech prepared. I don’t know, maybe I’ll just wing it.”
Does being nominated carry a different meaning to you having won before? “I think having won before, you’re not as nervous or, like, wanting it really bad, you know? It’s just nice, I guess, and more pleasant than going, ‘Oh, man, I hope I win!’ I’m just kind of going with the flow a little more than I have in the past. I’m not trying to overthink it or get too up about it; I’m being more even-keeled. I guess that’s what happens over time — I have more of a ‘whatever happens, happens’ type of mentality. But it would still be nice to win one and say something about my son, Dawson, in a speech or something like that so that he could see it later on. That would be kind of cool, to give him a little shout-out.”
