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Not Your Average Teen Romance
Over the summer, viewers of The Young and the Restless watched young Colleen Carlton develop what initially looked like a crush on the popular J.T. Hellstrom. Their story, under the guidance of co-head writer Jack Smith, has flourished into one of this year's most compelling romances.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Colleen's adolescent struggle to become her own woman is in direct opposition to the evolution that her mother, Traci, has undergone. Mom returns to Genoa City with tremendous assertion and a firm hand. Beth Maitland (Traci) clarified, "Last year, Traci had to leave Colleen in the lap of her family to take care of her. There is nothing more heartbreaking, in my point of view, than losing your connection with your child."

Beth continues, "Colleen, although she lives within the fold of the Abbott family, has been able to fly just under the radar for a while now." Ashley's illness and Brad's close, loving attention to his wife in her time of need has meant Brad was less available to his daughter. John Abbott seemed comfortable to weigh in as Colleen's father figure until even he discovered Colleen was bound and determined to spend time with J.T. Jack has certainly had his hands full with Phyllis and Diane, and Billy has been off building houses for needy people. Maitland offered this insight, "Traci has been very busy with her career. She is a very successful writer who goes on a lot of book tours. And with all the events in the Abbott household, there have been very few places Colleen could go when she needs healing from her family. There is no safety net for Colleen and so she is turning toward J.T. for it."

Fans of Y&R who know of Traci's former struggles to find love and self-esteem will find the following especially true. Beth states, "Traci made all the mistakes Colleen is making herself. There are so many parallels to when I first started the show when Traci was a pained teenager. Traci is worried Colleen will experience her heart being broken by her first love as Traci did when Tim Sullivan, her teacher, broke her heart. I think all of Traci's frustrations are about her disappointment in herself that she was not able to control her daughter and give her what she needed. A parent like Traci wants to provide everything Colleen would need to make the best decisions, not painful ones. But now that Colleen is really struggling, Traci feels like she has failed her daughter."

At this point, I turned to Thad Luckinbill (J.T.) and Lyndsy Fonseca (Colleen) for thoughts about their story. Lyndsy, waiting to begin our interview, saw the Genoa City University sweatshirt that J.T. had given Colleen, hanging in the Y&R Fan Club office. She wondered what we had planned to do with it. I explained to her that fans, who are becoming more and more enamored of her character and of their story, will bid on the sweatshirt at the silent auction during the Fan Club Event in 2003. She was surprised to hear that fans might be so invested in Colleen, which revealed to me a kind of wide-eyed innocence about her influence and popularity. It was genuine and totally refreshing.

Taking it Slow

In response to hearing how excited fans are about their love story, Thad Luckinbill (J.T.) said, "I think the success of this story is a testament to the writers, to Jack [Smith] in particular, who has always been a big advocate of this story." Lyndsy echoed this by saying, "The writers have taken it to a whole new level I did not expect."

Producer Kathryn Foster concurred, "I think it plays so well because it is being written in a realistic way. We are on a real journey with them: We are watching J.T. learn something about himself and we are watching Colleen develop as a woman. It's also in the way the actors are portraying the characters so honestly. In life you go through many battles in a relationship -- nothing comes too easily. If we depict characters getting to a happy ending too quickly, you lose an opportunity to show dramatic struggle."

Seeing Through Him

Lyndsy Fonseca (Colleen) said, "I think a girl can feel especially drawn to a guy when she can pull a softer side out of him. I think Colleen feels special because J.T. only shows that side to her." Thad added, "Everybody except Mac believes J.T. is no good. It's because of his feelings for Colleen that are, more than anything, confusing and overwhelming to him, that this softer side is coming out. I think J.T. knows this relationship shouldn't happen but every feeling in him says he has to go there with her."

Their rapport is spontaneously revealed when I ask Thad, oozing southern charm, to speak about why J.T. might be responding to her in a way he hasn't responded to other girls. "Well, have you seen her blue eyes? To quote the Counting Crows, 'She pulls the sunlight through me.'" It's enough to melt a reporter's heart. Lyndsy, interpreting him literally, says brightly, "There are lines in the script which say literally, 'Colleen sees through J.T.' She continues, "Most girls whom J.T. has dated don't really care about the person he is. They are attracted to him because of his reputation and Colleen isn't interested in that." Kathryn Foster would later say much the same thing, "I think he has been able to let his guard down because she looks at him not for who he is, but for what's inside and he is able to just be himself. She picks up on that and appreciates him for the human being he is. He is not just a good looking jock with a ladies man reputation."

Having been a 15-year-old girl once myself and having been very idealistic about what love looks and feels like, I wondered if Colleen has a few stars in her eyes? Lyndsy answered, "This is the first experience Colleen has had with someone she really likes so whether or not it is true love, she believes it is."

Many people remember what it was like to be just like Colleen: she hoped that a little help with some English homework would make the popular guy in high school fall for her and it seems to have worked! Even though the characters are young, this story has struck a chord with the Y&R audience and Foster gave her thoughts about why it's been so successful, "I think the major strength of this story is everyone has had a first love and no matter how old you are you can relate to those feelings. This is an innocent exploration of those feelings and I think it has captured people's attention by surprise."

Turning Point

The transformation in J.T. has been remarkable to watch as he continues to struggle with maintaining an image he might slowly be outgrowing. It's fun to sit back and watch these two speak of their story as if it were their own, as if indeed, they are fond of each other. Thad remembers the scene in which his character changed his opinion and approach to Colleen. "It was when you had gotten in trouble for your half sister almost dying. J.T. learned Colleen was using drugs and he was about to use that information to his advantage to hurt the Abbotts because Billy was and still is his biggest nemesis. In one scene Colleen manages to turn J.T. completely around so that J.T. instead agrees to help Colleen out." Lyndsy smiles and says, "I remember that moment! It was in the school hallway. Colleen saw J.T. in a different light because he was finally giving her the time of day."

When I speak about their obvious rapport, I tease them a little, recalling how in a previous moment, Lyndsy joked that Thad has "Chia Pet" hair. I saw in fact Thad's hair was rather thick and standing on end. I ask them about their rapport and Thad, perhaps taking a cue from his alter ego, coolly states, "It's all an act." Lyndsy followed laughing, "We're friends on the stage and then we go our separate ways!" More seriously Thad told me, "Actually Lyndsy got me into running lines with her over the phone at night."

I remarked Colleen seems like an exceptionally bright and strong young woman and Lyndsy answered, "Colleen's family is full of strong, smart people but that puts extra pressure on her to do really well." When I offered that viewers don't know much about J.T.'s family, Thad had an answer, "J.T. was hatched from an egg. Or maybe he's an alien. It's a government conspiracy." I quipped that it suits the character because he's got a kind of adolescent mystery to him -- a dark or shadowy side we know little about.

I tell them how believable Colleen's contentious relationship seems to be with her mother. Lyndsy had an interesting take on how far Colleen would go to be able to keep J.T. in her life. "I think on the surface she feels ready to give up her relationship with her mother and family but deep down she knows that would not be a good idea. Her relationship with her mother used to be very strong and close but once Colleen started to rebel and use drugs things changed. Traci is s strict mom, a good mom, but she wants Colleen to be certain way."

Lyndsy blushed when she told me what it was like for her to begin playing such sweet, romantic scenes. "I have to be honest," she said without artifice, "I was so nervous in the beginning!" Thad jumped in, "For me, on the show, I've never really had a chance to explore those aspects of J.T. Working with Lyndsy is so easy -- I couldn't have picked anyone better because she is so open. Sometimes an actress won't take it seriously, it's just a mood they can turn on and turn off, but Lyndsy really connects with what we are playing. She is willing to rehearse it over and over which makes it incredibly fun for me."

Don't Go Breaking My Heart

It made me wonder if either of these young people had ever had their hearts broken. Lyndsy was the first to respond with, "Me, never. I'm only 15. I've never had a boyfriend before. I think when I am ready for one I would like a guy with a great sense of humor -- but not a goof ball! I don't think I would want to date an actor either. Nothing against Thad! He's the exception. I think I would like someone who is kind of quiet too -- because I am loud!"

Thad seems less eager to respond to this personal question and Lyndsy and I gently coaxed an answer out of him. "I have been in a couple of relationships and have had my heart broken. You learn to live with it. I'll tell you this, I am better off where I am at right now. I wouldn't change a thing. Professionally, I am in a great place and personally I have some great friends. Sometimes a relationship, when it's not going right, can cloud me when I am trying to act."

At the end of our interview, I was curious about what Thad thought would be the one thing J.T. could do to win over the Abbotts? He says, "If he was willing to give their relationship up for her benefit, I think that would say a lot. Maybe they would get he is a good guy if he was willing to walk away for her best interest."

Finally, Foster gave me a clue as to what might be coming up for this handsome young guy and I will leave the interpretation up to the fans. "I know we are going to discover that J.T. has a hidden talent!" And that's about all I can say!"

By all accounts, this popular love story is already brimming with talent.

---From SoapCity's Y&R Specials section, November 2002