Quick Take
with Greg Rikaart (Kevin, Y&R)
■ What was your reaction when you found out that Kevin and Chloe were having another baby? “I was excited. First, it made sense to write in Lizzie’s [Hendrickson, Chloe] pregnancy and it sounded like a really fun evolution for our characters. We didn’t have the opportunity to share in the experience of becoming parents when Bella was born because that happened off camera, so I think this will be fun for the audience.”
How would you rate Kevin as a dad?
“I would say he’s a pretty good dad. I think we all leave childhood with our own specific set of scars and thankfully, most aren’t as severe as Kevin’s. I feel the scars that we have motivate us to try and do better, and given that Kevin’s childhood was so traumatizing, I think it pushes him to really be the best dad that he can be.”
This time, Kevin gets to be a dad out of the shadows. He and Chloe were in hiding, living in Oregon with Bella, but no more of that. Are you enjoying that aspect of being a family in the open?
“Very much so. As a father of a son, I’m especially excited to play that, too.”
Since Kevin and Chloe are unconventional people, would you like to see the birth of their son be unconventional, as well? “When we wrapped before the quarantine, it was right around the time of the baby shower so the birth would be really close. I have no idea what it’s going to be but I sure hope there’s some good stuff coming up. I’m looking forward to the scene when Kevin holds his son for the first time.”
Kevin is used to raising girls. He was a stepfather to Delia and is now parenting Bella. Do you think he can handle the energy of a boy? “I think he must have anxiety about it. He has mentioned to Chloe that he’s afraid that he may pass on some of his bad traits, and with a son, it seems like there might be more of a chance of that happening. So, I do think he has some nervousness over being a dad to a son. He had such a bad relationship with his own dad, so it’s certainly logical that he would have some underlying fear about raising a boy. I also think that Kevin wouldn’t let that cripple him. He’ll be afraid during certain moments but I believe he’ll try hard at overcoming them.”
On the other hand, don’t you think it also could be interesting if Kevin’s son turned out to be a demon seed? “I actually think that’s a great idea, and watching Kevin and Chloe trying to cope with a problem child would be really interesting. I hope Josh [Griffith, co-executive producer/head writer] reads this.”
What’s always been entertaining about Kevin are the jams he gets into. Do you
think he can stay out of trouble? “I hope not. What makes this Kevin, and not the one we first met 17 years ago, lovable to me is that he’s such a ne’er-do-well and oftentimes the pickles that he’s found himself in are usually unintentional. It’s not like he hatches some devious plan that backfires on him. Trouble just seems to find him. What I love about that is how that sets up so many of the dynamics between Kevin and Chloe, between Kevin and Michael, and between Kevin and Gloria, when she’s around.”
Should Kevin and Chloe get married or does just being together work better for them? “Marriage to me, personally, made a difference in my life and my relationship, but I also feel that Kevin and Chloe have a good thing as is and that seems enough for them. I’m really on the fence with that one. I’m not so much a romantic person as I am a pragmatist. Being married made becoming a dad easier for me as far as the birth certificate and filing taxes; you know, the unsexy stuff. I think Kevin and Chloe must feel pretty bonded when it comes to parenting, so they don’t really need a marriage license.”
Would you like Kevin and Chloe to get their own place or to keep living large at the Chancellor mansion? “Who wouldn’t want to live in this amazing house rentfree? But let’s not forget that Kevin is living there with his mother-in-law. I’m sure he would like to live in a place where Chloe can use her fashion and sense of style to create a pretty rad place. Liz has wonderful taste and her house is so cool and eclectic, so it would be fun to see what the Chloe version of a house would look like.”
Would you like Grandma Gloria to visit so she can fuss over the new grandchild? “Oh, hell, yeah! Judith [Chapman, Gloria] brings so much to the show. She’s such a great actress and she makes Gloria such a fun, crazy character. I would love to see her come back. I love the dynamics between Kevin and Gloria, and between Chloe and Gloria, and even between Esther and Gloria. What Judith brings is always so delicious. She’s so gifted and infuses so many layers Into one scene.”