Christel Khalil Opens up About the New Lily on Y&R (EXCLUSIVE)

Lily has a whole new lease on life on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS and portrayer Christel Khalil couldn’t be happier. “Lily has been through so much and thankfully, I’ve been there for all of it and it’s been really fun to play this new side,” she confided to Soaps In Depth. “The business side and dealing with Billy and the Newmans and all these things that are coming. It’s definitely a fun thing to do because I’ve never gotten to do it with her before.”

Khalil made her debut as Lily Winters back in 2002 and viewers have watched her turn the rebellious teenager into a powerful, strong woman. “The great thing about a soap is that they’re on forever,” the Daytime Emmy winner explained. “But sometimes you get a little stagnant because you’re working with the same people. So it’s nice as an actor for Lily to come in and be able to work with someone different and play different things. It definitely instills a breath of fresh air, which is really nice.”

Not only is Lily embarking on a new career at Chancellor Media, but that has opened up a new window for her to interact with characters she didn’t share screen time with much in the past to explore new dynamics and relationships. “She’s doing a job that she’s been able to trailblaze on her own and create this new division and be a co-CEO which is a big deal for Lily because she’s never had that title before,” enthused Khalil. “And getting to work with Billy, somebody who has been kind of like a wild card, but they’ve really developed this great relationship. Just being able to be a part of this company and do something really big and different is exciting for Lily.”

The actress is also excited to see where Lily goes next as she continues to make a name for herself in the Genoa City business world. “I know that they are definitely planning to show more women in power,” Khalil declared proudly. “I think after the #MeToo movement, it’s like… that’s what’s so great about Y&R. We’re always keeping up with the times. And there has been a shift on the show to being more women in power. And they saw Lily as a part of that, which I’m very grateful for.”

Stay tuned to Y&R to see where Lily’s story goes next!