There’s no doubt that the Daytime Emmy Awards play a large part of the daytime industry, but just how prevalent is the golden statue when it comes to the every day work lives of the people who make up the genre? Soap Opera Network spoke with performers, writers, producers and more to get their take on how often and how much the Emmys impact their work lives. Does the event and its promised accolades inspire them to work harder? Do they keep the Emmys in mind when filming, writing and performing scenes? And are the Emmy awards really necessary for the industry? There are varying opinions, so read on to find out what some of the genre’s heavy hitters had to say!
Basically everyone in daytime gets sucked into the glitz and glamour that comes along with the Emmys, but whether or not the system is important in the day-to-day is debatable, especially when it comes to whether or not the process inspires people to work harder in order to get recognition. “I think the Emmys definitely challenge you to want to do better work and strive to kind of push yourself,” opines “The Bold and the Beautiful’s” Linsey Godfrey (Caroline Spencer), who was nominated for her first award this year. “For me, it was like, ‘Wow, this is so amazing, and what an honor to be nominated with all of these wonderful people and people who I think are wonderful.’ Because I definitely feel for me, it makes me want to try harder, and if I don’t win, then to maybe get nominated again the next year, something like that.”
Adds “The Young and the Restless’” Cady McClain (Kelly Andrews; ex-Dixie Cooney, “All My Children”): “We all feel the anticipation building up to the [Emmy] weekends, and I think people get much more excited, kind of thinking about, even if they’re not up for an Emmy this year, they think, ‘Well, maybe I should try a little harder or do a bit better for next year.’”
And even Bradley P. Bell, executive producer and headwriter of “B&B,” believes that the Emmys have the ability to inspire members of the soap community to strive to be their best. “I think Emmys really do inspire all of the artists; sometimes it will be makeup or hair or the performers and writers,” he says, adding that it also inspires him. “It gets to be September, October, and I’m thinking, ‘Do we have Emmy shows?’ So there’s always a push at the end of the year for people who aren’t quite sure. But it’s wonderful in that respect, that it does drive people and inspire people to new heights.”