Over the past day or two, the Internet has been abuzz with rumors that Emmy winner Jacob Young (Rick Forrester) had been taken off contract at The Bold and the Beautiful. Several sites cited "an interview" the actor gave without mentioning the outlet that conducted the interview or any direct quotes from the supposed interview.
Young was inundated on his social media platforms with questions from fans who wanted to know the truth. Now, the multi-soap favorite has broken his silence: After more than two decades in daytime, Young is without a contract -- but according to him, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
"I want to take a moment to address the rumors that I'm currently off contract," Young shared on Twitter. "[It's] true, Im recurring and just starting to shoot a movie for Lifetime. I have been under contract for 21 years and this to me is a blessing. I can now have the time to pursue all my passions."
. #RT I want to take a moment to address the rumors that I'm currently off contract. All true, Im recurring and just starting to shoot a movie for Lifetime. I have been under contract for 21 years and this to me is a blessing. I can now have the time to pursue all my passions. Xo
— Jacob W. Young (@Jacob_W_Young) April 19, 2018
"I'm pursuing wholeheartedly my other passions, but I'm still around," Young told Variety.
Young started his daytime career as Rick on B&B back in 1997. He left the CBS soap two years later and took over the role of General Hospital's Lucky Spencer from Emmy winner Jonathan Jackson in early 2000. The role also proved magical for Young, who earned an Emmy of his own in 2002. The following year, Young began his longest uninterrupted daytime stint when he joined All My Children. From 2003 to AMC's final episode in 2011, Young played the role of J.R. Chandler. Young then returned to The Bold and the Beautiful in late 2011 and has been with the show ever since.
In fun soap fashion, all three of Young's roles have been "Juniors." Rick is really Eric Forrester, Jr. Though called Lucky, the character is really Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, Jr. And AMC's J.R.? He's Adam Chandler, Jr.
"I started so early in the industry, and I was limited on what kind of characters I could play. Most of them were on the younger side, and daytime would lean itself to that. There were very few film roles that would have been right at that age [of] 17 to early 20s, and if I was trying to get those roles at that time, you kind of get pigeonholed into the teen movies, and very few people make it out of that alive with a career still intact," Young added in his interview with Variety. "But we felt with the way the market is going right now and the offers that I've been getting that this was the right time...to make that move. It feels right. There are a lot of opportunities that have been coming —- opportunities I've had to turn down because of being tied up under contract."Over the past year or so, Young has turned his attention toward the music world. He has released a handful of singles, the most recent of which, "Fool For You," is now available on Amazon, Spotify, Google Play, iTunes, and Pandora. He has also performed in concert at venues in Las Vegas and New York.
A big Thank You to everyone that came to the @reevesforreal @emilyreevesxoxo @Jacob_W_Young events at @RockwellsNY @UNCLEVINNIESCC and @friarsclub..Such humble, talented people..We can't wait to have them back!! @coastalent1 @Jolynn_Anne pic.twitter.com/wW5qif0X7O
— Paula Tountasakis (@PaulaLercara) April 17, 2018
"It all kind of started on a whim. My wife [Christen] told me I should stop just playing around the house and share it with the rest of the world," Young shared. "Sometimes I wonder why I waited so long, but it might not have been the right time. I feel like now more than ever this is the right time."
In related news, Young's on-screen wife, Karla Mosley (Maya Avant), has announced that she is pregnant with her first child. You can read that story here.
What do you think about Young's status at The Bold and the Beautiful? Are you upset that he's no longer under contract? Do you think he'll leave B&B for another soap? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
