Colleen Carlton

Colleen Carlton
Tammin Sursok as Colleen Carlton (2007)
The Young and the Restless
Portrayed by	Lyndsy Fonseca Adrianne Leon Tammin Sursok (and infant child actors)
Duration	1992–1995, 2001–2004, 2004–2005, 2006–2009
First appearance	March 5, 1992
Last appearance	October 5, 2009
Cause/reason	Drowned in a lake
Created by	William J. Bell
Profile
Nickname(s)	Coll, CC (by Billy) Blue Eyes (by JT Hellstrom)
Gender	Female
Cause of death	Taken off life support after being declared brain dead after drowning in a lake.
Occupation	Waitress at Crimson Lights Newman Enterprises Board Member Fresh Face of Jabot Spokesperson
Residence	The Carlton Manor (1185 Cottage Grove Road) Genoa City, Wisconsin
Lyndsy Fonseca as Colleen Carlton (2004)
Adrianne Leon as Colleen Carlton (2006)
Relationships Parents Brad Carlton (deceased) Traci Abbott Connelly Sibling(s) Abby Carlton (paternal adoptive half-sister) Robert Carlton (half-brother; deceased) Romances J.T. Hellstrom Zach D'Sousa Adrian Korbel Daniel Romalotti Grandparents Arthur Kaplan (deceased) Rebecca Kaplan John Abbott, Sr. (deceased) Dina Mergeron Aunts and uncles Stephanie Kaplan (deceased) Jack Abbott Ashley Abbott Billy Abbott First cousins Keemo Volien Abbott Kyle Jenkins Abbott Abby Carlton Cordelia Abbott Lucy Abbott (adoptive) Other relatives Victor Newman (godfather)

Colleen Cecile Carlton is a fictional character from the American soap opera The Young and the Restless. She was last portrayed by Tammin Sursok, who joined the cast on July 30, 2007^[1] and departed on October 5, 2009.^[2] Previous actresses in the role were Lyndsy Fonseca (from May 30, 2001^[3] to May 17, 2004,^[4] reappearing briefly from December 24, 2004^[5] to February 9, 2005^[6]) and Adrianne Leon (from January 18, 2006^[7] to July 16, 2007^[8]).^[9] Colleen is the daughter of Brad Carlton (Don Diamont) and Traci Abbott Connolly (Beth Maitland).^[10]

The character was portrayed as a "sweet Daddy's girl"^[11] who rebelled during her teen years.^[12] She became popular as half of the J.T. and Colleen supercouple.^[13][14] Viewers voted them onto top couple lists multiple times.^[15][16] The character's onscreen death in 2009 meet with both positive and critical reviews from critics.^[17][18][19]

Conception and casting

Colleen was born on-screen in 1992 and, after being portrayed by a string of child actors between then and 1995, the character left Genoa City for New York with her mother, Traci.^[12] Colleen was aged to fifteen in 2001, with actress Lyndsy Fonseca playing the role.^[9] In mid-2004, Fonseca was let go as Colleen returned to New York to live with her mother. The Young and the Restless executive producer and head writer Jack Smith left the door open for Fonseca to return. "That means a lot to me," Fonseca said. "He's been really cool about that."^[20] Fonseca briefly reprised the role from December 2004 to February 2005.^[9] In January 2006, the role was recast with Adrianne Leon. Before getting the Colleen role, Leon portrayed Brook Lynn Ashton on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. As her storyline on the series diminished, Leon was given permission by the show's executive producer Jill Farren Phelps to start auditioning for other projects including other soap operas. She was soon cast as Colleen Carlton on Young and the Restless. Fan response to this news was negative because the audience did not believe Leon would fit in the role.^[11] Leon wanted to help the viewers with the transition. "Since I was leaving GH one day and airing the next as Colleen, it was a decision on my part to blend in her look with Brook's," she said.^[11] General Hospital also planned to write Brook out by scripting her new destination as the Carlton Music Academy in Genoa City. That plan was not followed through.^[11]

Colleen was characterized as a "sweet Daddy's girl."^[11] Leon wanted to make the character more grown up. "She's still the same person, but she's 20 now and she's had a year of college," she said. "She's been in New York for a year, and New York itself can change a person. I wanted to bring that fresh element to that character."^[21] Leon said Colleen fans came over to her message board after she got the role and tried to fill her in on the details of the part so she would not "screw things up." Though she looked over the information, Leon said, "I didn't want to go into detail, because I did want to come in and have a fresh start with the character. Coming in as a recast was stressful already, so trying to mimic what she did…. I got this [role] for a reason — something I did — so I didn't want to lose that element. Plus, the character's grown up."^[21] Leon was released from her contract in June 2007 and the part was recast with Australian actress and musician Tammin Sursok.^[22] In an interview with Soap Opera Weekly, Leon said her firing shocked her. "When I got the call, I asked when my last day was, and it had already passed," she said. "There was already a replacement. The whole thing was done and sealed." When she published the news on her Myspace page, she received a "flood of fan support."^[22] Rumors went around that Leon was fired because of her fluctuating weight. Leon said the extra weight she gained was a result of medication and a storyline that was never explored. She first gained weight from the steroids she was taking for an allergic reaction to the wool she had to wear as part of Colleen's winter wardrobe.^[22] She was later asked to keep the weight on by Lynn Marie Latham, the Young and the Restless head writer. "Lynn contacted me about doing a weight storyline with Colleen," Leon said. "She wanted to put out the message that curvy is sexy and men like that- she wanted to put some balance out there. I agreed that was the right message and I loved that she asked me."^[22] So she kept the added weight on for authenticity. "Not that size zero people don't have weight issues, but to me compared to curvy sculptures and have people say, 'Oh, Colleen your big butt is so cute,' I couldn't not have a big butt!" Whether her firing had to do with the weight gain, Leon said she did not know.^[22]

Sursok, who gained a following portraying Dani Sutherland on Australian soap Home and Away in the early 2000s, met rejection from a number of Young and the Restless viewers.^[23] Despite negativity she also received positive viewer feedback. "The fans have been really great," she said.^[24] In preparation for the role, Sursok tried to catch up on Colleen's history. "I watched the last six months of episodes," she said. "My boyfriend used to date a girl who was obsessed with Y&R, so he knew everything about it and brought me up to speed, as well."^[25] She hoped to bring something new to the role while keeping with the familiar. "It's very hard to come in and have a background already in place for a character," she said. "You want to remember who the character was from the beginning, but I'd like to change it up a bit. People evolve; characters evolve. I think Colleen is torn between two worlds right now. Her father treats her like a child, but she's trying to grow up."^[24] An element Sursok wanted to add to the character was drama. "Everyone wants to play what they don't have and my life's very settled at the moment," she said. "It would be nice to spice things up, maybe have an affair with someone."^[25] Sursok earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Colleen the following year.^[23]

After two years in the role, the actress departed and the writers killed off Colleen.^[2][26] In an interview with Soap Opera Digest in October 2009, Sursok said it was difficult to pursue outside projects and appear on The Young and the Restless as well. Her departure was a mutual decision by her and the show.^[26] "I was satisfied with the way that my character was written out," she said. "I think a little bit of drama is always fun, and I had a memorable ending that created some good storyline for so many other people. I'm glad I got to be a part of that."^[26] For the scenes leading up to Colleen's death, The Young and the Restless went on location to Franklin Canyon, California. The inside of the lake that Colleen drowns in was recreated in the CBS Studios.^[27] The Bold and the Beautiful's head writer and executive producer Bradley Bell allowed Don Diamont to return to The Young and the Resltess as Colleen's deceased father, Brad, as one of the visions Colleen has while unconscious.^[27][28] Diamont currently portrays The Bold and the Beautiful's Bill Spencer, Jr.^[28] "In order to accommodate contract constraints and actors' availability, we were writing scenes that were shot the following week, which is very unusual," said The Young and the Restless's co-headwriter Scott Hamner. "The appearance of Don gave a depth of feeling to the show that would not have been possible without him."^[28] During the taping of Colleen's final scenes, Sursok was not there. "They had to use insert shots of me [which were filmed beforehand] for when she was shown in bed at the hospital," she said.^[26]

Character's background

Expelled from school in New York for marijuana use in 2001, Colleen is sent to live with her grandfather in Genoa City.^[29] She attends school at Walnut Grove Academy with her uncle Billy. While there she continues using drugs and is caught by Billy's nemesis, J.T. Hellstrom (Thad Luckinbill), who plans on using this information against Billy. He changes his mind when he sees how upset Colleen is and the two start a friendship. She continues her drug use until her carelessness while intoxicated nearly results in the death of her adopted sister, Abby (Darcy Rose Byrnes), while she babysits her.

Colleen soon makes friends with local girls Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) and Sierra Hoffman (Asia Ray Smith), and begins a romance with J.T. At first, Colleen's family is wary of J.T. as he has a bad track record with women, but they eventually accept the relationship. Sex becomes a stumbling block for the couple. Colleen makes sexual overtures to J.T. and he turns her down because of their age difference.^[12] Not long afterward, he gives in to the advances of an older woman, Anita Hodges. When Colleen finds out, she is devastated, and the two break up. They soon reconcile.

When Lily begins dating Kevin Fisher (Greg Rikaart), Colleen tells Lily's parents, Drucilla and Neil Winters when the relationship turns sexual. In retaliation, Kevin traps Colleen in Gina Roma's (Patty Weaver) restaurant and starts a fire. Colleen survives after J.T. goes into the building and carries her out.^[12][29] She remains distrustful of Kevin, who covers up his crimes.

In 2004, Colleen leaves Genoa City for New York because she feels she is getting in the way of J.T.'s music career. She returns in early 2006 expecting to reunite with him, but he has moved on with Mackenzie Browning (Rachel Kimsey).^[29] She is also shocked to learn that Kevin has now been accepted by most of the community, Lily included.

After Mac leaves town, Colleen and J.T. reconcile.^[29] She is soon devastated by the death of her grandfather John Abbott (Jerry Douglas), who dies of a massive stroke. She is further rocked by the revelation that her father has assumed the name of Brad Carlton, and is in fact the son of Holocaust survivor and art historian Rebecca Kaplan (Lorna Raver).^[29] The majority of the Kaplan family had been killed because Rebecca had made it her life's work to return artwork stolen by the Nazis.

Following her grandmother's lead, Colleen begins to study art history in college under a professor named Adrian Korbel (Eyal Podell). It becomes apparent to both that this is more than a student/teacher relationship, much to the chagrin of the Kaplans, who are still in hiding, and her boyfriend J.T. Colleen uses Professor Korbel's knowledge to help solve the mystery of the Grudgeon Reliquary, the artifact that lead to the Kaplan family's murder. Despite her family's objections and a growing possibility that Korbel is involved in the murder of Newman Enterprises executive Carmen Mesta (Marisa Ramirez), Colleen cheats on J.T. with Adrian on Valentine's Day.^[12][29]

Colleen (Sursok) and Adrian (Eyal Podell).

Colleen and Kevin are kidnapped by Jana Hawkes (Emily O'Brien) as part of Jana's scheme involving the reliquary mystery. She attempts to kill them both and frame Kevin for the crimes she committed by setting the building on fire. As both Colleen and Kevin are succumbing to the smoke, J.T. and Korbel manage to save them.^[29] When Colleen recovers, she clears Kevin's name. The two forgive each other and became friends.

After breaking up with J.T., Colleen tries to start a relationship with Adrian, but her family and J.T. threw up roadblocks. After Adrian nearly loses his job, they attempt to feign a break-up and continue to see each other, but Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) discovers them and tells Brad. As a result, Brad cuts his daughter off financially, though Colleen soon overcomes this obstacle with a loan from her uncle Jack (Peter Bergman).

In August 2007, Colleen, furious with Brad, gives Korbel permission to use her family's story in his new book, Saved From the Ashes. They break up after she changes her mind about the book and Brad stops the publication. Korbel moves on with Amber Moore (Adrienne Frantz) while Colleen begins a relationship with Daniel Romalotti (Michael Graziadei).^[29] Their relationship soon ends when Daniel reunites with Amber.

When Brad dies saving Sharon's son Noah (Kevin G. Schmidt) from a frozen pond in early 2009, Colleen resolves to honor her father's memory by stepping into his seat on the Newman Enterprises board of directors.^[29] She angrily lashes out at the company's founder and CEO, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), Brad's long-time rival, as she believes he is partly to blame for her father's death. Victor pays Jeffrey and Gloria to catch Colleen in a compromising situation so she can be kicked off the board. They succeed by paying a bartender to get her drunk and tape her flashing her breasts in public.

Victor's vendetta against Colleen brings her closer to J.T., who is married to Victoria Newman. They kiss before she is kidnapped and held hostage by her Uncle Jack Abbott's mentally unstable ex-wife, Patty Williams. Colleen later has a showdown with Patty Williams.^[29] She later escapes by canoe on the lake, but falls in and nearly drowns. Jack takes her to the hospital, and Colleen is declared brain dead. Traci makes the decision to remove her daughter from life support and donates Colleen's heart to Victor Newman. At Colleen's memorial service, her very close friends and family gathered to remember the good times and say their goodbye's to her. They let red balloons float away in the air to as a way of saying goodbye to Colleen.^[12]During Victor Newman's Christmas Carol she made an apparence as The last ghost who visited Victor. He realized it was her at the end when he realized he was doing wrong by her.

Reception

Colleen became popular in the onscreen pairing of Colleen and J.T. The couple was listed as the fourth most romantic couple of 2003 in Soap Opera Update: The Year in Soaps along with other prominent duos of that year Sonny and Carly, Nick and Sharon, Shawn and Belle, and Al and Marcie.^[15] After Fonseca was let go from the role, she was voted fourth "most missed actor" of 2004 in that year's issue of Soap Opera Update The Year in Soaps.^[20] When the part was recast with Leon, the couple was listed as the favorite Young and the Restless couple in Soap Opera Digest and the couple's portrayers, Leon and Thad Luckinbill, were listed as the shows favorite actress and actor.^[16]

In 2009, Colleen was killed off. The story of her death received both positive and negative feedback from critics. Soaps In Depth referred to the scenes while Colleen sank under the water, while her family worried about her whereabouts an "instant classic."^[18] Soap Opera Weekly's Mala Bhattacharjee said the dream sequences that Colleen had while drowning were ludicrous.^[30] Janet Di Lauro, from Soap Opera Weekly, criticized the plot twist and said the "mere thought of the Abbott family donating Colleen's heart to Victor is enough to melt the brain of even the most casual fan."^[19] Di Lauro considered the performances of Christel Khalil, Peter Bergman and Beth Maitland as the only positive element of the story.^[19] She said the scenes where Lily said goodbye to Colleen "was one of the most touching scenes to air during Colleen's last days. It was uplifting to see the ailing Lily keep her composure and promise Colleen she would live her life for the both of them."^[31] Soap Opera Digest named the story Editors' Choice for the week, praising it as a "chilling, rich and game-changing coda to this wrenching family tragedy" and a "fitting tribute to the lost Colleen."^[17]

See also

	United States portal
	Television portal

• J.T. Hellstrom and Colleen Carlton
• Colleen Carlton @ soapcentral.com

References

1. ^ The Young and the Restless recap (July 30, 2007) - TV.com
2. ^ ^{a b} "Comings and Goings". Soap Opera Digest. October 6, 2009. 
3. ^ The Young and the Restless recap (May 30, 2001) - Soapcentral.com
4. ^ The Young and the Restless recap (May 17, 2004) - Soapcentral.com
5. ^ The Young and the Restless recap (December 24, 2004) - Soapcentral.com
6. ^ The Young and the Restless recap (February 9, 2005) - Soapcentral.com
7. ^ The Young and the Restless recap (January 18, 2006) - Soapcentral.com
8. ^ The Young and the Restless recap (July 16, 2007) - TV.com
9. ^ ^{a b c} "Who's Who in Genoa City: Colleen Carlton". SoapCentral.com. http://www.soapcentral.com/yr/whoswho/colleen.php. Retrieved 2008-12-13. 
10. ^ "Tammin Sursok Bio". CBS.com. http://www.cbs.com/daytime/the_young_and_the_restless/bio/tammin_sursok/bio.php. Retrieved 2008-06-03. 
11. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Leaving Home". Soaps In Depth. March 2006. 
12. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Goodbye, Colleen...". Sony. http://theyoungandtherestless.com/specials/specials_detail_4905.html. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
13. ^ "J.T. and Brittany: The Next Big Twist!". Soaps In Depth. November 2004. 
14. ^ "Are Colleen & J.T. Doomed?". Soaps In Depth. December 2006. 
15. ^ ^{a b} "Soap Opera Update 2003". Soap Opera Update. 
16. ^ ^{a b} "Hot Off The Net". Soap Opera Digest. February 2006. 
17. ^ ^{a b} "Heart of the Matter". Soap Opera Digest. November 3, 2009. pp. 32–33. 
18. ^ ^{a b} "Lady In the Lake". Soaps In Depth. November 9, 2009. pp. 90–91. 
19. ^ ^{a b c} Di Lauro, Janet (October 27, 2009). "Y&R's transplant tragedy". Soap Opera Weekly. p. 42. 
20. ^ ^{a b} "Soap Opera Update 2004". Soap Opera Update. 
21. ^ ^{a b} "Leon Settles in Genoa City". SoapOperaDigest.com. http://www.soapoperadigest.com/features/young-and-restless/interviews/leongenoacity/index.html. Retrieved 2008-12-13. 
22. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Fat Chance". Soap Opera Weekly. August 2007. 
23. ^ ^{a b} "Home and Away's Tammin Sursok hits Hollywood heights". Herald Sun. 2008-05-07. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23658829-5006023,00.html. Retrieved 2008-12-13. 
24. ^ ^{a b} "New Girl In Town". Soaps In Depth. October 2007. 
25. ^ ^{a b} "Nice to Meet You: Tammin Sursok". Soap Opera Weekly. October 2007. 
26. ^ ^{a b c d} "Y&R's Sursok on Her Exit: "It was all a Wirlwind"". Soap Opera Digest. October 20, 2009. p. 6. 
27. ^ ^{a b} "Colleen in Peril!". Sony. http://www.theyoungandtherestless.com/specials/specials_detail_4846.html. Retrieved 2009-10-10. 
28. ^ ^{a b c} "How They Kept The Secret!". Soaps In Depth. October 26, 2009. p. 4. 
29. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} "Colleen: Girl Interrupted". Soap Opera Weekly. September 9, 2009. p. 5. 
30. ^ Bhattacharjee, Mala (October 13, 2009). "The Soapbox". Soap Opera Weekly. p. 8. 
31. ^ Di Lauro, Janet (October 20, 2009). "Editor's Opinion". Soap Opera Weekly. p. 15.