Sean Dominic Teases What’s Next for Nate on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS (EXCLUSIVE)
Growing up traveling the world as a military brat, THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Sean Dominic (Nate) says that he always knew he wanted to be a performer — he just wasn’t entirely sure in what capacity. “At 4 years old, I was dancing with the grown-ups while other kids my age were playing with toys,” he recalled to Soaps In Depth with a laugh. “Then I started to play the saxophone. I played that for a year, and then I switched to the trombone. The problem for me with moving around so much is that I always wanted to try something different, so I didn’t stick with anything.”
Well, not musical instruments, anyway. Singing kept the hunk interested throughout his youth. “I was in a gospel choir and an R&B group, and high-school choir. I thought maybe I’d be a singer,” Dominic shared. “At the same time, I was doing a few plays in middle and high school.”
In fact, Dominic said that he remembers the exact moment when he first began to think about becoming an actor. “I did a play called Tied To The Tracks. I got in really late and only had a very small part where I played one of the deputies searching for the bad guy. I was like, ‘What can I do with this part that will get a reaction from the audience?’ So, I changed my voice. I did this funny, small, [squeaky] voice and had the audience laughing! It was like, ‘Boom! I like this!’”
After graduating from high school, Dominic headed to New York City, where he modeled, took acting classes and landed roles in theater productions and commercials. “I was still kind of Bohemian about acting,” he confessed. “I didn’t get really serious about it until after I lost a job. It was a wake-up call, and I was like, ‘Okay, do I want to do this?’ I was bartending at a comedy club at the time, and I would watch these comics come in every night, getting to know the manager of the club, getting to know us workers and the bigger comics. They had such a strong work ethic; I realized that’s what I needed to have with acting!” To that end, Dominic came out to Los Angeles to pound the pavement during pilot season. “On my last week here, I booked Y&R!” he revealed. “It was surreal!”
Even though the role was a recast, Dominic says he “wanted to bring a fresh light to the character. It’s taken a while, but I’m definitely more comfortable playing Nate now. I know who he is as a person.” Specifically, Dominic views his alter ego as “a big-brother kind of guy who always has an answer to everyone else’s problems. He’s always in someone else’s stories, asking, ‘What’s going on with you?’”
Lately, though, Nate has begun to have his very own story, with his casual relationship with Abby imploding after he nearly lost his medical license over her scheme to declare Victor dead. And fans have also begun noticing sparks between Nate and Hilary’s look-alike, Amanda, and a deep friendship blooming between Nate and fellow doctor Elena — both of which could cause tension with cousin Devon! However, “I think Nate is too golden to do anything bad to Devon,” said his portrayer. “Nate is a hero!”
Which is just fine with Dominic. “I grew up watching Denzel Washington and Will Smith, and they usually played the hero. That’s why I’ve always been attracted to that kind of role,” he reflected. “I think playing a villain would be fun, too, but I don’t want to be stuck in that role!” Nor does he want to provoke fan ire. “I was on a show before Y&R where I played a character who broke up with this girl. When I was in the mall, this dude comes at me, saying, ‘Hey, man, I hate what you did to that girl… but I love your work!’” he laughed. “I can’t imagine having a career always playing the villain and having people hate me! And I know Y&R fans can be passionate, so I’m hoping Nate will continue to be the hero!”
For more from your favorite Y&R stars, keep reading the CBS edition of Soaps In Depth magazine.
This story originally appeared in our print magazine
