Victoria Rowell Dishes Summer Camp Premiere and Reflects on Drucilla's Impact on The Young and The Restless (EXCLUSIVE)
Victoria Rowell
Days Ferry Productions and PV PR, Inc.
Daytime Television royalty Victoria Rowell is not showing any signs of slowing down. The multi-hyphenate actor, writer and director will hit the big screen in the new film Summer Camp on May 31.
The film stars Diane Keaton, Alfre Woodard, Kathy Bates, Eugene Levy and a host of other stars. Rowell recently spoke with Daytime Confidential about the upcoming film, her extensive work in the Foster Care system and of course her time on The Young and the Restless as Drucilla Winters.
Daytime Confidential: It was so wonderful seeing you in the trailer for Summer Camp. Can you tell me how your role of Evelyn came about?
Victoria Rowell: I can tell you that she's one of three characters. We're called (the) Pretty Committee, and we haven't changed much. The other actors are Beverly D'Angelo and Maria Howell. I just casted and directed them in a Christmas movie we wrapped on last month in Atlanta, Georgia titled Christmas in the Friendly Skies. In any event, the role of Evelyn is one of three in the Pretty Committee. We're opinionated. We're spoiled. We grew up with a silver spoon in our mouth, and here we are coming back to the 57th summer camp reunion. Of course, our counterparts are brilliantly portrayed by producer, iconic actress, Diane Keaton. You have Alfre Woodard, who's a friend and who I've worked with in the past. Of course, there’s Kathy Bates who is incredible. So, it was fantastic.
DC: What was it like just getting to work with those three powerhouses actresses?
VR: Well, it was great! It was an incredible experience. I have to include Beverly D'Angelo, who's a star in her own right as a singer and an actress in a number of movies. Maria Howell, who is a known jazz singer. For me, it was a dream come true. I always wanted to work with Diane Keaton. We don't have, you know, exorbitant amounts of screen time, but just to be offered this role was an honor. I was very, very excited about working with Alfre again. It's wonderful how the industry interconnects you and can cause reunion with friends, colleagues you haven't seen in a long time. So, this movie also represented that and represents friendship. At the crux of it, what you put into a friendship is what you get out of it is what I say. This movie also speaks to longevity, staying power, and friendship, even though you don't want to hear what your friends have to say. Whether it's in a tent, or in a camping cabin! It really is a movie that underscores the power of friendship, old friends and how important it is to invest in them. So, it was a gift that fell from heaven.
Eugene Levy and Victoria Rowell
Days Ferry Productions and PV PR, Inc.
DC: Can it get any better than that? You already had friends on set going into this film. It all worked out great!
VR: It was so awesome! It was like a forced vacation, because I was on vacation for a month. We were in North Carolina. We filmed at a 1920s summer camp called Camp Pinnacle. It was absolutely beautiful. Our characters, the Pretty Committee, are very competitive. We're as competitive as we were when we were kids, with the Diane Keaton, Alfre Woodard, and Kathy Bates characters. So here we are in our 60s and older trying to still be competitive like when we were decades younger. One of the scenes is us competing at river rafting down the rapids. Oh, yes! We had to train. We had to practice competing on the rapids. I think the name of the National Park is Nantahala. What's interesting about it is just beyond where we were filming was where the Olympians train. So, it was scary.
DC: Oh, that sounds for real!
VR: It was very for real! I mean we had drops and rapids! We did our own stunts! I'd never been river rafting in my life. I like to have my feet firmly on the ground. I'm up for adventure to an extent. So, it was a great experience. I'm glad I've had it! The movie is funny. Another colleague of mine that I got to spend time with is Dennis Haysbert, who stars in the movie. I got to meet Eugene Levy, who I did not know, but it just kept going like that. It was just a wonderful time. I also want to mention, Dori Rath, one of the producers. I already mentioned Diane Keaton, but I want to just say that it was predominantly female producers. There was a female director and writer. There were a lot of women in the hair and makeup team, and costume design. There were a lot of women running this movie. I suspect that had a lot to do with Diane Keaton helming the ship. It was wonderful to see, and there was a lot of diversity in the cast and crew, as well.
DC: We should all be represented properly!
VR: Yeah! I really appreciated the sensitivity to the business elements and to the climate of where we are as a people. Our industry has continued to evolve. It made me very proud to be a part of this production.
DC: I can't wait until it comes out at the end of the month!
VR: May 31! Also, May is National Foster Care Awareness Month. May is Mother's Day month. It's my birthday month, and I feel like this movie is one big gift.
DC: May is clearly a special month for you. I'm happy that you mentioned the National Foster Care Month. I understand that you're going to be honored at Tiffany Haddish’s She Ready Foundation Annual Adult Prom: A Night Under the Stars event. What does it mean to you to be recognized for all of your work in the foster care industry?
VR: It means a great deal. Well, I thought we met for the first time at Byron Allen's gala last year, The GRIO awards. We were on the red carpet and we said hello. Then she said, “You know, I've met you before!” She told me that I spoke at her high school years ago about being in foster care. I spoke at an assembly about my community, which I still do. Anyway, she said “You came and spoke at my high school. You said it's possible. And I decided that day I was going to do what you're doing.” She was really affected by what I said. Well, I welled up with tears and we hugged each other. We exchanged information, and have been in touch ever since. Then, I got this beautiful invitation to be honored by her foundation. So on May 31, the same day the movie drops, ironically, I'll be at the Beverly Hills She Ready Foundation Gala. You know, I didn't go to a prom. A lot of foster youth don't go to a prom, hence, why Tiffany's illuminating it in this beautiful way. We just don't have the resources to buy the dress. Some of us are moving around and can't build relationships or aren't invited. So, there's a lot of underscoring of why the prom experience does not happen. It's just so out of reach, still. You need resources to go to events, period. So, I know that Tiffany recognizes my work with my 20 years running a charity myself. The Rowell Foster Children Positive Plan, which I've since I've streamlined how I work in the system, mentoring, education, and fine arts education. I don't run a charity anymore, but I'm able to pass it forward in ways that I can. I'm just very, very proud of Tiffany and how she has manifested a brilliant career. She is transparent about the difficulties of balancing not only the past, but also present success. How do you balance that? So, I really appreciate her candor.
DC: It’s so important to have!
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VR: Yeah, but I'll also talk about life as a foster adult. There's over 9 million foster adults alone. We all have a story about how are we navigating. How did we navigate once we emancipated out of care without proper mentoring? You know, we still have a great challenge of adulting after foster care, so thank you for bringing up on National Foster Care Awareness Month in this interview.
DC: Of Course!
VR: Oh Wait! We’re celebrating 20 years of my foster care storyline that I pitched to Young and the Restless all those years ago to bring in a foster son. Bryton (James) and I stay in touch all these years later. So, I'm really proud that character stuck with the audience. I'm like, he's still there still on the show.
DC: Oh yeah! He’s still around leading story!
VR: I always believed that foster care had a place in daytime drama television. I just believed that this story would resonate with people. I'll never forget when a former producer/writer Jack Smith said, “Boy, this character is getting really popular.” I am really proud of that the powers that be said, “Okay, we'll try the story that you've pitched.” The story was not only the character of Devon, but also the storyline of a foster youth. It was the whole story, you know? Let's do the adoption. Let's have a social worker. Let's have his bio mom in this story. Let's show the rec center. So, the story really was broad and I also brought in experts. I brought in an Annie E. Casey Foundation official and I think LAUSD representative. We really framed it in a way where it was undeniable and eye opening to producers that this is not only an important story to tell, but California has the largest population of foster youth. Somewhere around 70,000, I think. Check the exact number, but it's huge. Anyway, the city of Los Angeles and a board of supervisors ended up inviting CBS, Sony, The Young and the Restless brass, Jack Smith, Bryton and myself to an event downtown. We were presented with these beautiful awards for telling this story. So, yeah, there's room for it in entertainment, and it can be successful. It’s 20 years later.
DC: That story was so powerful! It showed all aspects of the foster process, and that's why it still resonates today. I talked to Bryton a few months ago and he said it’s still one of his favorite stories!
VR: It always will be! I think it also speaks to mentoring. He got a proper mentoring from a family who were determined to give him the best. I was just at The Alliance Foundation event last night, which features college ready public schools. One of the adult foster youth who's an alum of this program, Marquis Williams, really spoke to how the mentoring was so impactful in this school program. I'm glad that we're having this interview during National Foster Care Awareness Month.
DC: It's important to bring awareness that it is National Foster Care Month. You never know what you'll say or what somebody will read that will inspire someone. Since we were talking about the The Young and Restless, I have to bring up how your impact on not only that show, but all of Daytime is really still being felt today. I don't think there is a week that goes by where I don't see someone saying, “Where's Drucilla? We miss her.” What do you think of people still wanting to see Dru back on Y&R?
VR: I'm humbled by the ongoing requests. I know that I endeavored to bring my 100 percent A-game to the show. I loved performing that character, because she was so multi-dimensional. I knew she touched a lot of lives. She spoke to an audience that typically was underserved. It just resonated with all people, and not just maybe a quotient of the audience that may have experienced homelessness or some really difficult challenging times in their youth. I mean she had an interest in fighter things, including Neil, and she was aspirational. She dreamed big, and wanted to be a ballet dancer and go to Europe. These are things that people dream of doing that may not happen, but sometimes they do. So, people really said, “Boy, this is a real character I can relate to. I'm gonna go on this ride with Drucilla.: So, I'm not surprised that people continue to talk about Drucilla. When I see fans, or when people on social media bring it up, I say, “Well, you can see Victoria Rowell in different ways and projects!” However, keep hope alive. You never know when she might pop up on something old, or something new.
DC: Never say never! That's always my motto.
VR: I'm really proud of the work. I know the character Drucilla inspired other contracts, staying power, and the aggregate amount of Emmys for our storylines for actors. Not just Emmys, but also dozens of NAACP Image Awards. I'm really proud of our collective excellent work.
DC: As you should be. You spent so many years in daytime, advocating for black people and people of color on screen and off screen. Recently, CBS announced it has greenlit a new daytime soap, The Gates, starring a wealthy Black family. What are your thoughts on this project?
VR: I think it's fabulous. I know that it's due time. I am proud to be a part of the legacy of the genre of daytime drama. I'm proud of being a part of the CBS Sony legacy of daytime, and also of the changes over time. Especially, the inclusion that has happened over the years. From Susan Dansby to Susan Banks to Michele Val Jean, who is leading the charge of developing this show. I'm very, very proud of what Sheila Ducksworth, who is the president of the joint venture with CBS Studios and The NAACP, is doing. I just prayed that the day would come that we would see the manifestation of the first show. I believe it was in 2020 when CBS television studios and the NAACP struck a multi-year partnership agreement. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention George Cheeks, who is the president and CEO of the CBS Entertainment Group, and Derrick Johnson the president and CEO of NAACP. So, it's not just one person. It's many people over many, many years. So kudos to George Cheeks, Sheila Ducksworth, and of course Derrick Johnson NAACP. This takes a lot of time and a lot of effort. I'm just proud that I may have had some small part in pushing DEI, especially in this genre, which is so beloved by black and brown and Asian people as well.
DC: It's really just a dream come true watching it all unfold. If The Gates were to approach you about a role would you consider it?
VR: Absolutely. Nothing's off the table.
DC: That's what I needed to hear.
VR: By the way, in front or behind the camera! Yeah, in front and/or behind the camera!
DC: I know you wear many hats. You're involved acting, directing, and writing. Is there any one that you enjoy more than the other?
VR: Well, they're all different in their own way. They're all fulfilling in their own way. For example, I just co-wrote a wonderful script about falling in love on an airplane. It's a Christmas PG movie. It's called Christmas in the Friendly Skies. I wrote it with ReShonda Tate. She is a known book writer. Her latest book is The Queen of Sugar Hill, the untold story of Hattie McDaniel. Writing is like working an intellectual muscle and in a different kind of way. Directing is all pistons going and I absolutely love it. I'm an actress director. I get to work with incredible actors. I just got to work with Brad James in Christmas in the Friendly Skies, who starred in Shirley opposite Regina King. I'll be in a movie that starts filming in June out of the country. So I love acting. I love directing and I love writing and producing as well. I believe you should have no destination. It’s about, in my experience, staying flexible, staying malleable, being open to something new, and being open to change. When one door closes, another door will open. If you stay ready, you'll be ready. You know, I'll just say this. I once read, you know, life is a gentle teacher. I've always been a slow winner. I know that about myself. I've always been a slow winner. So, I turned 65 on Friday, and I embrace all of my experiences. I look forward to the future and what it will hold. I'm grateful for this industry. It's remarkable. It's miraculous. It's medicinal. As we loop back to the opening of Summer Camp, in theaters May 31, again, I look at my friendships. I look at my long-term friendships, industry friendships, ballet friendships, farming friendships where I started, you know, up in Maine, and I'm profoundly grateful.
