Journalist Natalie Morales has the role of a lifetime — her lifetime, in a sense — on CBS‘s The Young and the Restless. The cohost of The Talkis moonlighting as an investigative reporter sniffing around Genoa City.
“Talia Morgan is at the top of her game and really digs deep to find compelling stories about people,” says Morales (below, second from left) of her recurring character, who debuts today.
What begins as an exposé on deceased con man Ashland Locke (Robert Newman) pivots to Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters, below left), who’s back in town after faking her own death. According to locals Nikki Newman and Phyllis Summers (Melody Thomas Scott and Michelle Stafford), “there is a bigger story with where she was hiding and what she was doing all those years,” Morales says. However, sly Nikki and Phyllis shouldn’t assume Talia is their puppet: “Talia likes to see all sides, but she knows there’s a hidden agenda.”
Morales has several guest-star credits playing herself (This Is Us, Nashville), but in terms of acting experience, she references The Taming of the Shrew…in high school.
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“Can I just tell you how in over my head [this is] for me?” she jokes. We think she can handle it!
The Young and the Restless, Weekdays, CBS, Check Local Listings
The Talk, Season 13 Premiere, Monday, September 12, CBS, Check Local Listings
Fans of THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS who also watch THE TALK will definitely find Talia familiar because the journalist is being played by Natalie Morales, one of the CBS chat show’s hosts! And having grown up watching telenovelas in Panama and Brazil, she was excited to be on an American daytime drama!
“Soap actors come on our show all of the time, so it was kind of a natural opportunity for us to cross-promote,” Morales explained to Soap Opera Digest. “Y&R approached us and asked, ‘Would you guys be interested in having Natalie come over and do something?’”
She was also thrilled to discover that this is no small cameo, but multiple episodes where she’s dropped into the middle of a juicy storyline! “It’s a real fascinating storyline because I’m not [just] in one episode, so I get to build with other characters,” Morales enthused. “Phyllis and Nikki have sort of roped Talia into doing a report on Diane Jenkins and where was she for all of those years after staging her death? What was she really doing when she said she was living in Los Angeles? So I love being part of a plot.”
While diving headfirst into the fast-paced shooting of a soap opera was a far cry from what Morales is used to at THE TALK, she was grateful that the cast and crew of Y&R were so supportive, especially Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) and Michelle Stafford (Phyllis). “These are soap superstars so I really am in awe watching them work,” she marveled. “And everyone has been so kind. There were a couple of times where I blanked a little bit and was like, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’ But they’d just say, ‘You’re doing great. Don’t worry.’”
Although Morales wouldn’t reveal what Talia’s investigation into Diane’s past digs up and if it aids Phyllis and Nikki’s quest to run her out of town again, she did admit she’d be up for more in the future. “Listen, Genoa City has a lot of interesting characters,” she declared. “If Y&R wants Talia to do a little more digging, I’m always happy to come back. There are a lot of skeletons in those closets and some aren’t hidden very well!”