Katherine Kelly Lang Reflects on 35 Years at THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL
As THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL prepares to celebrate its 35th anniversary on Wednesday, March 23, one of the only two remaining original cast members, Katherine Kelly Lang, is also celebrating 35 years of playing Brooke! “I still remember 35 years ago on B&B, going to work on the very first day,” she recalled on Instagram. “I was so excited and nervous. Hoping that I could be everything that Bill Bell wanted me to be when he hired me.”
The actress admitted that the nerves stemmed from the very first storyline she was dropped into right off the bat. “I was so nervous because, in the very first show, Brooke was attacked and almost raped by a few men trying to drag her into their van,” Lang explained. “I drove onto the prestigious CBS lot with my old beat-up VW, parked in my new parking spot, walked in through security, sat down in hair and makeup while refreshing my brain of all my dialogue that I had to say that day.
“So many butterflies were fluttering around in my stomach and I was putting so much pressure on myself,” she added. “But once I was all ready and stepped out onto Stage 31 and took a deep breath, the moment the director said ‘Action!” I knew I was in my element. I knew that this is where I belonged. I was home.”
Lang actually credits fellow original cast member John McCook (Eric) with helping her land this iconic daytime role. “Thank you, John, for being such a good friend and actor since day one,” she declared. “I still give you so much credit that day that I was hired. If I didn’t do the screen test with you, I may not have been there at all. You made me feel so comfortable and loved that I forgot about everything around me and was lost in the scene with you. Just acting and reacting to your expressive eyes and mouth curling up at the corners when you were amused. You wore your heart on your sleeve.”
The Daytime Emmy Award nominee also expressed her gratitude for B&B executive producer and headwriter Bradley Bell. “I am so proud to call you a friend and colleague, having worked with you since day one also,” Lang said. “We have all come so far and it has been a delight to see you when you had to step in for your father and take over the show and make it your own. Make it your legacy.
“Truly amazing the amount of work it takes to be at the helm of it all,” she continued. “I applaud you for your dedication, your amount of sleepless nights working on stories, the courage to carry things out, and the bravery to make it your vision. Happy 35 years!”
