Jacqueline Macinnes Wood

(STEFFY, B&B)

■ Steffy awoke in the hospital after taking a bullet, but the biggest hit was yet to come: the discovery that her beloved husband, Finn, had died trying to protect her. Wood delivered an intense and harrowing performance as Steffy learned the truth.

Still woozy, her memories hazy, Steffy addressed the family members gathered around her, the intonation in Wood’s raspy voice going from confused to hopeful as she questioned where Finn was. They gingerly referred to him in the past tense, which did not go unnoticed by Steffy. “Why are you talking this way?” she asked, suddenly vulnerable as she studied the somber demeanors around the room and instinctively braced herself for what could be very bad news.

Gently, Taylor lowered the boom: “Finn is gone.” Steffy froze for a moment, then, just as quickly, her brow furrowed and her eyes filled with tears. “Gone?” she repeated with a catch in her voice, her jaw trembling. Ridge confirmed that Finn hadn’t survived, and as Steffy’s shock started to wear off, it quickly morphed into an anguished panic. Confined to the bed Steffy lay in, the only instruments Wood had at her disposal to lay bare the depth of Steffy’s pain were her face and her voice — and that was all she needed. She began to hyperventilate, her whole body vibrating, her expression contorting into one of unbridled agony, and she let out a guttural screech as she began to weep, her grief naked and palpable in every heart-wrenching sob.

The technical skill Wood displayed as she brought this devastating moment for her character to life was matched only by her sensitive artistry, resulting in work that was as at once riveting and emotionally impactful.