Last year was a big year for The Young and the Restless' Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman), who won her very first Emmy in the Supporting Actress category during the 2014 Daytime Emmy celebration. One would expect that having won in the past would lessen the shock of being nominated again, but not for Heinle, who admits that she was actually more surprised this year to have received a nod than she was last year.
Congratulations. How did you find out?
Amelia Heinle: I'm currently in the mountains of Georgia. My sister was out here, so I came to visit, but I knew [the nominations] were coming out today. I wasn't sure when we were supposed to find out, because last year, it was at five in the morning, a text from [our associate producer/publicist, Jimmy Freeman]. And so I was already up anyway, because I was going to work that morning, but today, I was kind of like, I figured at some point, someone would text me, and the text might get through. So it did.
What was your reaction?
I'm so honored. This is cool. It's so fun. I don't know -- it's like a fun contest.
Last year, you were surprised you got nominated. You didn't think you had a lot of work. Now do you feel better about what you did this past year to get nominated?
I just didn't know how the whole thing worked, and now, having been involved in the process, the voting and everything, now I'm starting to kind of understand. So this is my second year voting and looking at things and figuring out how it works, and actually, this year, I also didn't think I had much at all. But I don't know, it was kind of fun picking for me, for sure. So I was a little more surprised this year than I was last year, actually. Even more surprised this year!
What did you submit? What scenes?
Um, the Delia death anniversary show. It was the same. The Delia storyline just keeps going and going, right? But it was a good story, so you know. That was it.
You gotta capitalize on it.
You gotta capitalize on it? Right. [laughs] I'm just on Delia's bandwagon!
Ride it until the wheels fall off!
I don't think the Delia story will last, unless they do it again next year. But honestly, the show, you had to pick a complete show that looked decent, so I just picked that, because I couldn't find anything else.
Is that what you also submitted for pre-nom?
Yeah, it's pretty much the same thing. I kind of took a peach from Delia and a peach from [Victoria's] baby being born. I knew that if I did get nominated, or on to the second round, I'd put in the Delia stuff to keep it simple. Because when you look back at a body of work over a year, it's like, sometimes you have a great year, sometimes you just have to, if you want to be in the contest, you kind of just have to put in whatever your instinct tells you the best thing is. Because I remember talking to [my husband], Thad [Luckinbill, ex-J.T. Hellstrom, Y&R], about it, and he was like, "You picked something totally different." And I'm like, "I am NOT picking that!"
Really?
Well, I don't think he understands it. Or maybe he does, but it just has to be okay with me, and it wasn't okay with me.
What did he pick?
It was something in the park. I don't remember, and I never liked having conversations in the park with actors, the fake park. It always feels so awkward in the park.
It's Awkward Park.
It's true! It's Awkward Park! You're standing there in an awkward section of the park, just standing there and then a random jogger runs by [laughs]. Or a baby carriage.
What do you think of Billy Miller [Jason Morgan/Jake Doe, General Hospital; ex-Billy Abbot, Y&R] getting a nomination for Y&R?
Well, again, Delia's storyline! Right? He's always good. He's always going to get nominated. He's just good, no matter what he does. I'm glad. I'm really happy for him, obviously.
And Lizzie Hendrickson [ex-Chloe Mitchell, Y&R]?
Oh, so happy. Yeah. I'm glad. I'm so glad. I'm in good company.
Would you feel okay losing to her?
Oh, of course I would! If she wins, I'll be extremely happy. She did such a great job, and she's a sweet, sweet girl. I really like her. It was a tough competition last year. I was shocked that I won. I really thought she totally deserved it.
How are you going to top that photo [the two of you took during last year's ceremony]? That was hilarious.
How are we going to do that? It was one of those spur-of-the-moment things. But I'll try! I've got to find a good dress, first. That's more important!
Oh, I know! What are you going to do about that?
I have no idea!
Last year was so different.
That was a total fluke. I don't know how I ended up with that dress.
Was there anybody that you were disappointed didn't get nominated?
I thought Melissa Claire Egan [Chelsea Newman] should have been nominated for Lead. I thought she did a really good job. And I also thought Jessica Collins [Avery Clark] did a really great job in Lead, as well....Those were the two that stuck out to me.
Are you going to bring your husband [to the ceremony]?
If he's available! He doesn't like it, but if I was nominated. He missed it last year, and that was kind of an accident. It's a long story, but...
Well, we've got time!
Well he was on [an annual] trip, and it's really cool, because they go down to Cabo, and I knew he was going to be cutting it close, but I was like, "Don't worry, I won't win. Don't rush back. It's ridiculous. Have fun and don't stress out, because you're going to get all the way back here, and I'm not going to win." And so I win [laughs]. But he watched, I guess he saw a video of it on the phone, because it wasn't televised, but someone had a phone video, and he watched it on the phone driving back from Cabo. So this year, he's probably going to be very neurotic about it. He'll be like, "I need to be there!" And then I won't win. You know what I mean? It'll be one of those things.
Did you have an acceptance speech prepared last time?
No. I was shocked. I was truly, and I'm not just saying that. I mean I thought Liz was going to win for sure. She did so amazing, and so I thought I should basically have something lined out in my head, who to thank, just in case. You know, just anything, something really simple. So I kind of went over it in my head, who I needed to thank if it happened, and I wanted to dedicate to it to my sister. Because I thought, if you get up there... you [want to cover] certain points, people you worked for, so I kind of had something, but I had nothing pretty. I didn't have anything poetic or anything like that.
I think the off-the-cuff ones are better.
The messy ones?
The heartfelt ones.
It was heartfelt. It was totally heartfelt. It was so cool, because you've never experienced that before, so the first time ever, like, virgin Emmy.
What do you think of the ceremony not only being on television but also on the Warner Bros. lot?
I think it'll be fun. It sounds like they're going to try and make it really nice. I was talking to somebody else, who was I talking to? One of you guys? No, I don't remember. But they're kind of like trying to make it old school Hollywood. So that's cool. I think they should do that... I think simple is best.
Who did you share the news with first about your nomination?
My texting is working, so I told Laura, my friend at work. Laura Walsh [production, Y&R]. And let's see, oh Missy! I got some congratulation texts that came through, so I just kind of said hi to everybody. She's so sweet. I really am shocked that she didn't get nominated this year. She just does beautifully, you know? She did a great job. Oh well -- next year!
MORE DAYTIME EMMY REACTION
• Kristoff St. John discusses the old-fashioned story that earned him an Emmy nod
• Y&R star Amelia Heinle discusses the possibility of back-to-back wins
• Elizabeth Hendrickson on her final Y&R goodbye and Melissa Claire Egan's "bold" move
• Max Ehrich on the real-life tears his Emmy submission caused
• Christian LeBlanc on the blood, sweat, and tears (of others) that landed him an Emmy nomination
• Gina Tognoni celebrates her first Y&R Emmy nom
• They're no longer a B&B couple, but Linsey Godfrey and Jacob Young are co-nominees
• DAYS star Alison Sweeney on her first-ever Daytime Emmy nod
• GH overcome with emotion after first Emmy nom
• Nominee jokes, "Do I just show up" at the Emmys?
• Lisa Locicero on her first Emmy nom and being pregnant on the Red Carpet
Are you excited to see Heinle in the Emmy race again this year? Do you think she'll take home the award for the second time in a row? If not, who do you think will win this year? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
