Soap opera recasts don't always work, but when they do work, they can be quite magical. Take The Bold and the Beautiful's Taylor Hayes, for example. Former portrayer Hunter Tylo is considered a legend on the CBS drama, but when new portrayer Krista Allen stepped into the role last year, she fit so seamlessly, it's almost as if she was born to play the fictional psychiatrist. The soap community unanimously agreed, earning Allen a nomination in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category in this year's Daytime Emmy Awards.
Soap Central's Dan J Kroll caught up with Allen to chat about receiving her first ever Emmy nomination, and the actress opened up about a variety of serious things, such as being critical of her own performances, how she handles the red carpet, and fun things, such as gummy bears and never being afraid to let your crazy, creative side shine.
Soap Central: How does it feel to be nominated? I saw on Twitter, and I don't want to misquote you, but you had said, "Gahhhhhhhhh!!!! Omg omg omg omggggg!!!!!!" Does that about sum it up, how it feels to be nominated?
Krista Allen: That was my friend, Matt Hanvey, and he had made a tweet, and yep, that was him saying he had just woken up to see the news, and that was my tweet to him, yep, exactly. That was it, that's the one. [Laughs]
Soap Central: Great. I want to make sure I don't misquote and have the appropriate amount of h's and g's!
Allen: Ha, exactly! There are 14 h's!
Just woke up to see my friend *the* @KristaAllenXO is getting recognized for all her hard work on #BoldandBeautiful this year with a @DaytimeEmmys nomination!!!!!!!
- Matt Hanvey (@MattHanvey) April 26, 2023
🥇 🎉 🥂 ❤️ 😱 💃 🕺 🎥
YAAAAAASSSSSSSSSS!!
Congrat-u-freakin-lations!
Asaaaaahhhhhhhhhh 😭 https://t.co/LM9kfYH1OE
Soap Central: Pretty much! I don't want to brag, but the magical, mystical, psychic pinecone did tell me that you would be nominated. I have a connection with that pinecone. I was tickled that you enjoyed the graphic that we made for the site.
Allen: Oh, my God, that was the best graphic! I loved that graphic -- oh, my God, it was so funny. People really liked it.
Soap Central: It was one of those things. Sometimes we get a little silly and goofy. Sometimes I have a little bit too much time on my hands and a little bit too much brown soda, and things happen.
Allen: I don't think there's anything about too much of something. I think that's perfect, and I wish that everybody would just let that part of themselves go. So, yay for you! Don't blame it on the brown soda, is what I'm saying. [Laughs]
Soap Central: Oh, great! That or it could be cotton candy. Listen, I like to indulge from time to time on this, so silliness happens, as you'll find out through the course of the next couple of minutes of the interview.
Allen: I enjoy you, and as I said to [B&B's publicist] Eva, "Oh, Dan! I know him from Twitter! That's amazing!"
Soap Central: I appreciate that, because last year -- oh, gosh, time has been such a blip, but I had been talking, I was on a red carpet interview at the last Emmys, and you squoze by because it gets rushed toward the end and toward the middle, and I didn't get a chance to actually speak to you in person, so this is the first time that I've actually been able to speak to you off of the Twitter machine, so this is really nice.
Allen: Oh, wow! That's really cool. I'm a big fan, so I'm glad we're talking.
Soap Central: I appreciate that. So, how did you find out about your nomination? Were you like the rest of us, just sort of scrolling around and found it on Twitter? Did you not know that the nominations were coming out like a lot of us? How did it come to you? How did you find out?
Allen: I looked down on my caller ID as I was on my way out the door to go to work and it said Brad Bell [B&B executive producer and head writer], and I thought maybe it had something to do with some script changes or something like that, but he was like, "Hey, you got nominated," and I was like, "What?!?!?!" [Laughs] And he was like, "I know, I know," and I was like, "Oh, my God!" So, it was absolutely perfect that I found out about it from my boss and we just had a wonderful talk -- it was a quick talk because I was on my way to work, but it was really, really special that I had started just a year ago, and here we are today, and it was just a really nice conversation, and I felt like a million bucks after. I was super, super proud. And then the next phone call that I made was to my son, and I talked to him and told him what was going on, and then that was it. But yeah, it was very, very cool. It was a very fun morning.
Soap Central: I can imagine. And I think with that, not referring to just The Bold and the Beautiful but to sort of life in general, people sometimes think that whoever is above, the boss or whomever, that they don't engage in that sort of thing, but I've heard from a lot of people that, and particularly in this case, that Brad Bell does reach out, so, it must be nice to know that, as you said, the boss is the one calling to congratulate you. That must make it extra special.
Allen: Oh, my gosh, yeah! We are nominated for his show, and it's all these wins for the show. It was very cool because I think The Bold and the Beautiful got fourteen nominations in total or something, and so, it was just really cool. And yeah, it was nice to be one of those fourteen.
Soap Central: I think, too, for The Bold and the Beautiful, one of the telling things for me, from the journalist side of it, is that they were spread all across, not just acting. There were six technical folks who were nominated for all of the things that fans don't typically think about -- they always think about the actors. So, that's really nice. Directing, writing, series. It sort of shows the solid core, that B&B is solid from stem to stern, which I think is also a really good acknowledgement for the show.
Allen: Aw, yeah, well, that's nice. It was a very cool thing. That was a really fun morning, and it made me feel better [after being sick with strep throat].
Soap Central: It's funny, you mentioned that it was a year ago that you got the call, and I was looking, just trying to narrow some things down, because sometimes the calendar gets away, so you have to realize, well, what was really in 2022 that could be eligible, and it seems Taylor had a little bit of a year. There was a wig, there was maybe trusting Sheila [Kimberlin Brown], daughter shot, dangling from a rooftop, flirting with Deacon [Sean Kanan], kissy kissy with Ridge [Thorsten Kaye] in Monaco, a trip to Aspen, a pinecone, a reunion, a wedding, a not-a-wedding, and then a friendship with a supposed rival. Like, that's a lot of things in the course of 12 months. It's a lot, and that was just January! No, it was the whole year.
Allen: Right?! Almost lost her daughter, almost lost her son-in-law. Wow.
Soap Central: Of all of those things, may I ask, what of those, if any of those particular things, because there were a lot of other things, what actually ended up on your Emmy reel? Because that is a wealth of information to pick from.
Allen: The Emmy reel was a scene with Tridge, where she's saying, "It's like our history has been erased, our whole love story, just gone. Like, it's always been Brooke [Katherine Kelly Lang]." And it was this whole speech that Taylor gives. Then there is a scene, it's like the no-hug scene where he comes to say, "I'm going back to Brooke," and he goes to hug her, and she's like, "Get the f*** out." So, that scene, and there's a scene in Aspen with Taylor and Steffy [Jacqueline MacInnes Wood], where she's talking about, you know, "I can't do this. It's breaking me."
Soap Central: That was the money. That was a magic scene. I remember watching that, and that was really, really, really, really, really good.
Allen: Oh, thank you! Gosh, thank you so much. And then, the last one was the non-wedding, where she's confronting Ridge and saying, "Are you going to keep your promises to me? Are you going to make me your wife?" And that's kind of how it wraps up. So, it was really fun to put it together.
Soap Central: That's a whole story, which is also really fun to watch, back in the days when we used to get to watch Emmy reels. It's always fun to watch the story and see things, and I think there was a scene, too, in all of that drama, I don't know if it ended up there, but it was like a funny scene where Taylor said something like, "Get out of my life, but maybe not all the way out of my life..."
Allen: Yeah, that was in there, too! That was in there, too.
Soap Central: That was one of our picks for one of the lines last year, one of the dialogue bits, from the year, in our Best and Worst, because it was a real sort of thing, of someone saying, "Hey, get away, but..."
Allen: But no, don't get all the way away! [Laughs]
Soap Central: Maybe just kind of hang by, just in case!
Allen: Yeah, I mean, you don't have to go all the way away!
Soap Central: Let's not get crazy!
Allen: Yeah, I mean, hold on! I didn't mean that, actually, not like that!
Soap Central: With the scene, it's always interesting to talk to people who are nominated, and there are some folks who will watch themselves or watch the show daily, either in this case on CBS or on Paramount+, and other people will poke in and out. Are you someone who is able to watch themselves in a performance? Do you prefer that someone [else] does it? Are you someone who, if you do watch yourself, you're hypercritical? You don't seem to be that way; you seem very sort of carefree. So, I'm curious, how do you approach that, when it comes to picking material and watching yourself?
Allen: I think that I definitely don't trust my judgment completely because I can see myself fall out, or I can see myself go up in a line, or I can see myself not hitting a beat that I want. I am the hardest person on myself that I know when it comes to that kind of stuff, when it comes to anything like that, right? [Laughs] So, there is that quality to me, so I definitely depended on my agent, and Eva was helping out, too. My agent ended up doing most of the stuff and just kind of sending it in. B&B had pulled some scenes, also, so, it was kind of a group effort, and my agent found some scenes, and those are the ones that I think I had asked about. I had asked about the, "Get out of my life, but not all the way out," that was one that I asked Eva to pull, I think. I said, "Can I just see that? I just need to see it," and she added some stuff in there, too. And my agent was going back and forth between different parts of the non-wedding scenes and stuff, so it was just this really fun group effort. I couldn't put it together. So, I knew what they were, I saw them once, and I said, "Figure it out," to my agent, because he was the one that was putting it together. I didn't really have a lot of interaction [with it]. Not that we have to talk about this, but my best friend literally passed away when all of this was happening, and I was taking care of her four children, seven and under, while I was working. So, that is a big reason why I wasn't putting a lot of things together. My brain wasn't working. But it all came out great, and I remember when I saw it, my agent has been such a huge support. He's just such a huge support with all of this stuff, but when I saw it put together and all of that, I kind of went, "Oh, my God, that looks good." And Eva is so smart about this stuff, because she's been working with the Emmys and all of this for a long time, and I know that she guided Adam, [my agent], in what was needed, what we needed to do, and all of that stuff. I mean, it really takes a village, you know what I mean? It seems like it's, "Oh, just put a reel together," but it's not. We needed Eva and Adam, we needed eyes and ears and opinions, you know what I mean? So, yeah, that's how it all came to be. But I couldn't put it together myself, let's just put it that way. I wouldn't be able to put a reel together myself and say, "I feel confident about this."
Soap Central: There's so much material to choose from, as well. That's certainly something, as well, I think, since you're active on social media, I'm sure you will see for yourself or others or other shows that may come across, the fans will respond with, "Oh, that's going to be on an Emmy reel!" So, sometimes fans are also really good [at helping choose Emmy reel scenes], in amongst those other things that they do.
Allen: Oh, my God, you just refreshed my memory, and thank you for that. That was a big thing, within the Taylor fan base, people were posting things, and I was sending stuff to Eva, and maybe Eva and Adam, I'm not sure, and saying, "Hey, what do you think about this? What do you think about this? Can you take a look at this scene?" Or whatever, and it was just from clips that people were doing. Listen, the fan base, you know how I feel about it. I love The Bold and the Beautiful fan base. I love them, I just do. They are just wonderful, and I bet you every single one of those scenes that came from my brain wasn't from my brain -- it was from somebody saying, "This is a good scene."
Soap Central: It's a good feeling to know that the fans have your back, in addition to being a fan and appreciating the work, that there is this group that is there to support and to help, outside of all of the craziness that is also on social media. There is some good stuff, as well, of course.
Allen: Oh, my God, it's all good stuff, as far as I'm concerned! It's literally all good stuff. It's like... my timeline, I like to say, is the sunny side of the street. It really is.
Soap Central: Zipping around here and going through my head of things The Bold and the Beautiful, I tend to think of, among many things, I do think of fashion. So, I have to ask the question, and actually Thorsten's answer to this question was hilarious, I'll tell you that later, but have you given any thought to what you might wear on Emmy night? Is it too soon to think about that, too late to think about that? Where are we with that?
Allen: I mean, if I'm going off the fan base, on the other side, I think I'm going to do something off the shoulder and with pockets. [Laughs]
Soap Central: Good to know.
Allen: I'm just thinking I may have my look! L-E-W-K, by the way! [Laughs] But I actually don't know. I really don't know. I guess this is the time to do all of that stuff, but I don't know. I don't know. I really don't know. What do you think? What should I wear? Come on, Dan!
Soap Central: This is not what I do! I have a hard enough time figuring out what to have for lunch every day! So, it's interesting because you get to see the different looks from last year's red carpet, and you look at some of the things that you are wearing as Taylor, so you sort of have a whole gamut of things. I don't think that there's anything wrong that you'd be able to pick -- you could pick something very formal, you could pick something a little less formal, you could mix it up. I don't know.
Allen: Listen, I'm not a formal person by any means, and if it was formal, I'd have my Dr. Martens on with it. Like, I'd have to throw in some Krista. Like, I would! I just would. I'm not joking! [Laughs] If it was something super, super formal, like, I couldn't do it, like... oh, God! But that's me. I'm not going to do that, though, by the way, like a little nineties grunge. Can you imagine? Coming out in like a full-on petticoat dress with these Dr. Martens?! I would never. [Laughs] But I think it might be something super simple. I think something simple, but I mean, I would say...
Soap Central: It's that internal conflict. I get it.
Allen: Yeah! Like, what is going to be the best at all angles? You know what I'm saying.
Soap Central: It's different when you're a nominee, too. Like, if you're not a nominee, you can show up and do whatever you want. When you're a nominee and know everybody is talking to you, and the bits and the soundbites, there's more of a bit of pressure. I don't know, that doesn't help! I'm making it worse!
Allen: And that's the thing, too. I'm not great in bright [lights] and lines and one-on-one questions. My social battery drains quick. I don't know if you know this, but I'm an introvert, and it's hard for me on the red carpet. Generally, it's just hard, so if I looked weird on the carpet when you saw me, I was like, "Get me out of here! I've got to go." [Laughs]
Soap Central: I usually have snacks on our red carpet -- it's a really good refuge. You never know, sometimes it's gummy bears, and sometimes there's other things. I try to get things that won't end up in people's teeth, but there's always snacks. Track me down, look for me.
Allen: Wait, you just said gummy bears and then followed it up with [providing things that don't stick in people's teeth].
Soap Central: Those were two separate thoughts! [Laughs] With that, I have those things, and as I pack them, I bring the gummy bears and the Sour Patch Kids, and I think, "Oh, crap, those are going to get stuck in my teeth." But it is what it is -- no one is looking at me, anyway!... Is there anything that you're planning to do to celebrate the Emmy nomination?
Allen: No, no, and no! I don't want to. I don't want to go out anywhere. I'm not that person. Give that to Jacquie (MacInnes Wood, Steffy Forrester). She's the girl, she's the one, she's the one that's going to go out. She's going to put on a fancy dress, and she's going to [go out]. I'm home. I'm home with my pit bull, and I'm just doing nothing -- I'm reading a book. That's what I'm doing! [Laughs]
Soap Central: That makes perfect sense to me. I stay at home, and I garden, and I do all sorts of other things. I try not to interact with the world.
Allen: See, me too! I don't want to leave. It's just like, I'm good. I'm good. My celebration is just, you know, getting a text. Don't even call me! Unless I know you're calling. [Laughs]
Soap Central: I get that, and it's nice to find someone I can relate to. I don't have a pit bull. I have a bunny who is actually nibbling on my toe at the moment because he wants attention. Anyway, before I let you go, it is Friday, and in a couple of hours, I'll be doing my 80s countdown thing [on Twitter] as I do my work. In my head, the question makes sense -- it may not. Is there a song that you can think of anywhere in time that sort of describes the year that Taylor has had? Anything that comes to mind, other than "Love Rollercoaster"? There's got to be something about hanging from a roof! Any song that comes to mind?
Allen: That question just came up in your head?
Soap Central: It's a crazy place in there. You never know what will pop up next.
Allen: No, no, it's actually a great question! I just can't [answer questions like that]. I'm terrible. So, this is what's going to happen: I'm going to just tweet you later with just that, and nobody else is going to understand, but they will later! I'm terrible at the quick answers.
Soap Central: That'll be fine. It's a teaser, a spoiler alert [for the article]. Or people will just think we're crazy, which is fine!
Allen: Yeah! Yes! I'm like, "This Girl Is on Fire!" and people are like, "What?!" [Laughs] People will be like, "Wow, she is really full of herself, isn't she?"
Soap Central: That might be the best tweet ever! But we can't use that one now! Too funny.
Allen: That's true, but we can talk about how we were going to use it and then decided not to. [Laughs]
Soap Central: I feel like that is the perfect place to leave things with you, being on fire! And thank you so much for taking some time out to chat with me.
Allen: Oh, my God, thank you, too! I'm so glad we finally connected, and I will see you on the Twitter streets!
What do you think about Krista Allen receiving a nomination in this year's Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress category? Do you think she'll take home the gold? We want to hear from you -- and there are many ways you can share your thoughts.
